The Hands of Time
by lameninja
Summary: Contains spoilers for episode 11. A different take on the anime ending - Nezumi is offered the chance to redo his meeting with Sion, changing past events in an attempt to keep Sion from harm, whilst trying to keep their bond intact.
1. Prologue

Hey again, guys. I've been going through a rough patch these past few months and I've not been able to write properly for a long time. I finally got my muse back and I wanted to try writing a truly heartbreaking story. It's...more or less planned out. I don't normally upload stuff until it's done and dusted, but...I'll change that terrible habit. Plus, I want to see how this goes down.

Selene-soulwar's helping me brainstorm and get the script down, so writing speech from Elyurias and Sion and parts of the imagery is her work.

This is very much a prologue, written quite quickly. Following chapters should be more detailed.

Once again; this has got huge spoilers from the get-go. Enjoy~

* * *

He was gone.

That was the only thing that was going through my mind.

Sion was gone.

He'd died in front of me.

I lay there beside his lifeless body, tufts of white hair still visible from underneath my scarf that had been carefully laid over his face. There was still blood oozing from the wound on his chest. It wouldn't stop.

It had to stop.

Sion couldn't be dead.

It just...wasn't possible. He wouldn't leave me.

He wouldn't leave me alone in this world.

He promised.

He said he'd always be by my side; my equal. No matter what happened.

This couldn't be happening.

A wave of emotions overcame me and tears started to streak down the side of my face, dripping onto the floor.

There was only one choice.

The only thing I could do.

The only thing that would mean we would still be together.

Wait until death takes me as well.

Moments later, a soft glow enveloped the small space where we lay, and I felt myself being lifted up slightly by a pair of gentle hands. Fingers ran over my cheeks in a soothing manner as a soft voice echoed through my mind. It was a woman's voice. The same voice I always heard in my dreams.

_Get up, my child. There's still time._

I recognised the voice. It made me shoulders quake in fear. She was here. She was watching me. She was holding me. But still, I had to ask. 'Who...who are you?' My voice came out nothing more than a whisper, raspy and barely recognisable as words. I'd used up the last of it singing for Sion's soul.

Humming began drifting through my mind. That song. That same song.

_You know very well, my little one. Stay with me._

No. I couldn't. I had to stay here. I had to stay with Sion.

I began to struggle against her. Or at least try to. The light seemed to have caged me, preventing me from escaping.

_It's not your time to go, _[ ].

I froze. My true name. My _true name_...It'd been so long since I last heard it. In our language...the one of the Forest Folk, it sounded weak. Pitiful. But it was the one Elyurias had given me. The name she had honoured me with. Translated out...it sounded worse. I didn't want anyone to know it. It didn't suit me. I wasn't weak. I was strong. I needed a name that reflected this strength. Not...this...

But now was not the time to complain about my name.  
Sion.  
Sion was gone.  
And she was trying to make me stay.  
I opened my eyes, feeling them well up again as I saw him.

Don't go.

Please...don't go.

'I don't want to live...if..I'm without him,' I managed to choke out, my words coming out sloppy, peppered with sobbed and sniffs. So...so weak.  
I felt her fingers run through my hair and I dared take a peek at her.  
She looked nothing like the carvings. Like how I'd envisioned her. I'd half been expecting her to still be using Safu's body.  
My breath caught in my throat.

It was my mother.

She was using my mother's form.

Dark curls tumbling down past her shoulders. Soft grey eyes looking down at me gently as she continued to hum in my mind.

...perhaps she knew I'd resist Safu...and chose a form that would be calming and appealing to me.

Mother...

I mustered as much strength as I could and grabbed her arm, pulling myself up a little, eyes and voice turning pleading.

'I don't want to live my life if I'm without him.'

She shook her head.

'Please...I need him...I didn't want this to happen.'

She smiled gently, helping support me in her arms, holding me close against her chest.

_What would you have me do? This is the way it happened. And he would want you to go on._

'I just...I didn't...I can't.'

So weak. When did I get so weak? Was it when I first met him? Was it sometime after?  
I'm soft. Too soft. It was my downfall. Our downfall. I should've kept a closer watch on him. I shouldn't've brought him here.

_You must. I need you._

I glared at her, beginning to shake my head repeatedly. 'No...no, no, no, you didn't need me. You never needed me. You only needed that girl. You only needed Safu!'

A smile.

_I have always needed you._

The light seemed to have intensified. Or was that my vision failing? I was still losing so much blood...how was I still going? Was it her? Was she keeping me alive?

'I want him back.'

_He isn't one of mine. I have no control over him._

Of course. It would never be possible. He's gone...that's the end of it. There wouldn't be anything she could do.  
'Then...what can you do with me?'

_I'm going to make sure you survive._

No. No, no, no, you can't do this. You can't take me away from him. Bring him back or let me die. Just don't take us away from each other. You can't. You just _can't._

'Is...there nothing you can do...to let me be with him again?'

More humming again. And fingers running through my hair. Stop trying to calm me down. Just stop it. Telling me there's nothing you can do is _not_ calming in the slightes-

_What would you have me do? Ask._

I swallowed hard. What was she asking? Did she actually have the power to bring us back together again?

'I'll...I'll destroy the correctional facility by myself...he won't be at risk. He'll be safe.'

She smile again, cupping both of my cheeks and pulling me closer. Our foreheads pressed together...this was...just what Mother did...when she was...

_You wish to change the course of the past, little one?_

'Yes.' I'd spoken even before I knew what I was saying. Changing the past? Was that possible? What would that entail? Would Sion be safe? Would things be better?

_It's impossible for you to destroy this place alone._

'It's not...I know how to do it now. I know what I have to do.' Get in through the garbage shoots, climb up the pile of bodies, climb to the summit, take out any guards along the way, be extra careful not to get shot, blow the mainframe up and get out...easy. I know what to expect this time.

_You wish...to sever the ties between you two?  
_

What? Is that what would need to happen? If we never met...would he still be at home...safe? Would nothing bad have ever happened to him? But the bee...he'd die from it...if no one's there to take it out of him...

'...If I meet him...will he die?'

She motioned to the space around us and I looked over my shoulder, following the movements her arm was making.

_This is what happens, should you take some of the choices that lead you here._

So...it was possible...I just had to be careful what I repeated and didn't repeat. But...if it meant me not being able to interact with him...

'I'll watch him from afar. And keep him safe.'

_You will not be happy that way, little one._

But...he'll be alive.

_But he will not know of your existence, and you will not give him the guidance or the promises that made his life so rich and fulfilled...right to the end._

She was reading my mind. How was she doing that? Stupid question...of course she had the power to do that. Was it because of the link between us? Could she do it to anyone?

'We'll have met...that one time...when he was younger...but...he'll be happier without me. He'll be safe without me.'

_I urge you to think this through very carefully, _[ ]_...this isn't what he would want._

That name again. It was sending shivers up my spine. Stop using that name. Please. Just stop.

...I'll..I'll figure something out...

She sighed, placing both her hands over my eyes, robbing me of my vision, replacing it with something else. Something far crueller.

_Allow me to show you a glimpse of the future you wish for._

My whole body stiffened as the scene flooded through my whole being. It was all I could see. And I couldn't look away. The city was destroyed. The whole thing. The Moondrop, Chronos, Lost town, the whole thing was gone. There was chaos. So much chaos. An enormous rift between the two classes; those who lived in No.6, and those who came from the West District. But where was Sion? Why wasn't he there? Wait...no...There he was. His hair hadn't changed. It was still brown. He so looked different. He was working in the bakery...eyes tired...soulless...No. No, stop. Please. I don't want this. Anything but this. Please.  
More floods of tears started rolling down my cheeks as I grabbed her tightly, my voice quaking.

'Then what am I supposed to do? How can I save him?'  
Tell me. Help me. Help us. Please. You're my only hope.

_...everything comes at a price, little one. You of all people should know that. It is possible to save his life, but...for that, you must sacrifice everything you two built together, and shared. Consider your choices carefully._

'...so...we can never be together...'

_Didn't you already predict this?_

We can never be together. It was supposed to be this way...yet...if it meant Sion was still alive...was it worth losing him? Was it worth simply becoming a shadow in his life. Just watching over him, intervening when I needed to...becoming a wandering stranger he'd never know was there.

I made a quiet sound, clinging onto her a little tighter, before giving a firm nod. 'I'll do it. I want him to live. I want him to survive.'

She cast a sad look at me before gathering me up in her arms, gently tracing a symbol over my forehead. She started to whisper in my ear in that quiet and soothing voice. I felt light. I felt like I was about to float away.

_How far back should I turn the wheels of time?_

If I was to never be with him...I at least wanted to meet him one last time...for him to know I exist...and that I would forever devote myself to his safety. To his life.

'...the night I met him...and...use me as your host.'  
If I was the host...there'd be no need for the bees. She'd know there'd be no need for them. Because she was with the last of her children. And Sion would be safe. He'd never know of the pain he'd went through on that fateful night when I cut that thing out of him...

She cradled my face in her hands again, giving me a sorrowful, almost apologetic look, as if pleading for forgiveness. She started to sing, the light enveloping both of us. I clung onto her, my fingers intertwining with hers as I felt my eyes grow heavy. My voice had returned. I was singing with her. Both of us singing that same song that had haunted my dreams ever since everything I knew...everything I loved...everything I had was snatched away from me.

_...you are not alone, my child. Just remember that. As long as you don't lose your faith, I will protect you._

I felt a pair of lips press against my forehead before she disappeared into the light.

She smiled at me.  
Mother.

Please.

Forgive me.

I won't be joining you just yet.

I hope you'll understand.

My last ounce of support vanished and I began to fall.

* * *

Well, there you go. First part over. Please feel free to leave feedback and such. It'll be much appreciated!

I'll try and get the next part written soon.

x


	2. Drowned Rat

Hey! Thanks so much for the feedback. I hope this chapter is worth all the alerts and favourites etc. I've decided to try and tell a few stories from Nezumi's past in this fanfic. I hope I manage it okay. Just in case it's not clear, the parts in italics are Elyurias speaking into Nezumi's mind :3 The script of the conversation was written with Selene Soulwar, as always~

Enjoy!

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The rain was slamming against the windows, which were shaking against the force of the strong winds. They came from all directions, clashing together, thunder crashes echoing across the city over and over again. It seemed like it was never going to stop, that the world would be caught in this never ending typhoon for the rest of eternity.

A flash, swiftly followed by the loudest crack of thunder yet woke me from my slumber, dragging me back to my senses. The lightning was close by...very close. Were we safe? That said...the lightning would go to the highest point in the city; The Moondrop. It wailed away, causing shivers to run down my spine. Such a horrible sound...I hated it. I'd always heard it from the other side of the wall when the weather got like this. I guessed it was something to do with the architecture. Like, how sometimes in spiral staircases you can hear the wind blowing around in a circular motion. There were various holes over the shell of The Moondrop, which was probably the cause; the wind being forced through those holes and bouncing around the interior, the sheer size of the building amplifying the sound so it was heard from miles away.

The first time I heard it, I didn't get a wink of sleep. It terrified me. I didn't even know where it was originating from, but nevertheless it sounded like it was in such pain. I could relate. I'd always been in so much pain. I lost everything. The sound of The Moondrop crying was a constant reminder.

I'm pretty sure it was situated exactly where the largest tree in the forest once was. I have vague memories of my older sister holding my hand tightly as the whole clan gathered around it. You weren't allowed to go anywhere near the tree until your twelfth season. We had a very different calendar, completely unrelated to those I discovered after I made it to the West District. I remember explaining it to Obaa-san, the woman who raised me. She was very curious about the forest folk; she lived in a small house just outside the edge of the forest, meaning occasionally she'd see us or hear us singing.

Our calendar was based around the changing seasons affecting the central tree. Some were far longer than others. What you call "Spring" began when the first leaf appeared on the tree. "Summer" began when the tree had finished sprouting its leaves. "Autumn" began when the first leaf fell. "Winter" began after the last leaf had fallen. But children weren't allowed to see the tree. I never understood why, but I suppose it's something to do with tradition. Possibly superstition.  
There was a group of five of who had all been born whilst the leaves were falling. On the tenth day of the season, we were brought to the tree, all the adults circling it. We had to lie down in the fallen leaves and close our eyes, listening as the adults began to sing, waiting to be blessed by the God of the forest, Elyurias. For me, it didn't take long. I could hear her voice loud and clear in my mind as she sung. It was so soothing. I don't think I'd ever felt so relaxed in my whole life. Her entire being was moving through my body. It was at that moment I heard my name for the first time.  
"Niyol." I was never able to find a proper translation, but it's something to do with the wind. I hated it. I still do. And no one knows it. I don't want to grace anyone with the knowledge of my true name. I'm not embarrassed...I just don't feel it suits me. Not as much as "Nezumi" does. The wind is calming...it can touch your whole being and you can feel refreshed...but it can also destroy anything in its path...yet not directly. People don't die because the wind blew too hard. People die because of the after effects; the water rising, homes collapsing, cities left in ruin. Wind is such a powerful manipulator...but is next to nothing by itself. I hate that idea. Rodents are stealthy...can move around undetected...even when alone they can survive. "Nezumi" suits me much better.

Hearing the wind making the windows rattle away irked me. It had such power. Why was I granted such a name? I wasn't powerful. I was nothing.

Wait.

The wind.

I sat up, looking around the room, impending realisation of where I was finally dawning upon me. I was in Sion's bedroom, in his bed, wearing that ugly sweater he'd given me. I paused, trying to piece together what had just happened, glancing to my left to see the clock on the wall. 23:30. So...I'd been asleep. The wind had just woken me up...the date read September 7th 2013.

And then I remembered.

It was almost as if I'd woken up from a dream and still couldn't quite remember everything that had happened. But after a few moments, everything was coming back. Elyurias...had taken me back in time...to this precise moment...just like I'd requested.  
I looked to my right, and there was Sion, still fast asleep, still clutching one of my hands. Judging by his breathing, though, he was sleeping quite lightly. I tentatively reached out with my free hand, running my fingers over his forehead gently, as I tried my hardest not to just break down in floods of tears. Just...a few minutes ago he was dead...and now...he was alive. I had him back. It had worked.  
Sion felt my contact and stirred, blinking blearily in the darkness before smiling as I came into focus. 'Mmm...is everything okay? You changed your mind about the medicine yet?' He gave my hand a slight squeeze, almost as if trying to reassure me.

'...n-no...I was...just thinking...'

'What about?' He tried stifling a yawn, reaching up with his free hand to rub at his eyes.

I glanced down at my arm as I felt a slight sting pulsate from it...ah...of course. He'd patched me up...just like before. I smiled gently, squeezing his hand back in return. '..sorry...I just...It doesn't matter.'

Sion blinked, his expression suddenly growing concerned. I swear he had a vice-grip on my hand. 'Yes, it does.'

'I just...had a really...vivid dream...still reeling from it...not...quite sure what's real.' A half lie. Everything in the past did feel like a dream. But I still had my memories in tact. Everything had happened...it just...got scribbled over, I guess. But in pencil. I could rub out the scribbles if I wanted to, and things would become clearer. I just had to think about it carefully and not cause myself too much of a headache. One was already coming on. Great. I might have to accept his offer of medicine.

Another squeeze. I met his gaze. He was chuckling quietly. Not carefree...but...he seemed relieved. Almost as relieved as I was feeling at that moment. 'Do you want to tell me about it?'

I paused before shaking my head. 'I can hardly remember any of it now. Weird how that happens.'

Big mistake. I forgot how much of a brainbox Sion was, and he went off on a huge scientific explanation on how some dreams are remembered and how some aren't, and how you may remember a dream one day, but forget it the next. Then he started going on about the subconscious and how that's related to dreams. I had to stop his blabbering. It was doing a great job of intensifying my headache. My free hand moved down, clamping over his mouth as I smirked. 'Alright, clever clogs, enough of that.' Sion didn't look like he wanted to stop talking. Instead he just frowned and carried on mumbling against my hand. He still couldn't take a hint.

Once he'd stopped, I pulled my hand back, glancing away...it was time to face the cruel reality. We were going to have to be separated again. I couldn't stay here. I'd be killed. And Sion was going to be stripped of all of his rights again. But for him, it was still the first time this was all happening. I ran my thumb over his knuckles, stealing a glance at him. 'You know...you could get kicked off your special course for this...you know...taking me in.' Sion blinked at me a few time before making a motion between a nod and a shrug. 'You don't mind?'  
'You're hurt. You needed help. That's what's really important isn't it?'  
He still didn't know. At this point he had no idea how much it meant to me that he'd rescued me. I was still alive because of him...and he didn't care that through saving me he'd gone and screwed up his chances of having a decent future. He'd go to school, get incredible results in his exams, go to university in a foreign country, get a degree and...just...succeed. And through saving me...all of that had gone down the drain. He'd lost out. Because of me. 'I guess,' I mumbled quietly, before leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek. '...Thank you.' Thank you so much...I don't think I'll ever be able to express my thanks, Sion. But I'm going to try this time. I'll make sure you see how much this means to me.

I felt him tense up a little, his skin heating up as it changed to a deep shade of red. He was startled. Embarrassed. But not shoving me away. 'A-a...ah..it's...that's...that's okay.'

Cute.  
'Yeah...it's more than okay,' I paused, reaching up to clutch my forehead, closing my eyes tightly. 'Sorry. I'm still a little dizzy from the dream...I'm still being chased, right?'  
Sion was rubbing his cheek, the same spot where I'd just made contact. It was probably in an attempt to stop blushing. 'They made an announcement a while ago.' Letting one hand leave his cheek, he started to fiddle with the bracelet around his wrist. I jumped a little when a small projection appeared in front of my eyes, giving out the information about me and where I had last been seen. There was a profile of me, stating my height, eye colour, where my distinguishing injuries were and my VC number.  
I narrowed my eyes as the clip ended, clutching the blankets underneath me. 'Right...so...I better get going, then.'

'Where will you go?' Sion asked, peering at me curiously.

'Not far,' I replied, smirking a little before leaning in a little closer. 'You might see me again.'

He blinked a few times, looking quite hopeful at my words. 'Really? You mean that?

I shrugged. There wasn't much point telling him I'd always be keeping an eye on him. That'd be...pretty creepy. I needed to earn his trust and maybe then he'd appreciate me looking out for him. 'We'll see how things go...and we'll see if you need me or not.'  
He blinked again before frowning. 'I'm sorry?'

'I'll tell you someday.'  
Sion shook his head, lying back down on the bed. He wasn't buying it. I could tell even before he opened his mouth to speak. 'So many vague hints and secrets...would it be too much to just...'  
I knew already I was telling him too much...but I had to let him know some things...so I could be sure he'd never distance himself from me too much. So that he'd still be fascinated with me. So that he'd still want to know me and want to get to know me even more. I smiled a little, reaching over to cup his cheek gently, hovering over him. '...To just what?'

'To tell me something straight.' A sigh. 'I know you have deemed me ignorant...and sheltered...because of living in the city...living a "privileged" life...but I wish you didn't.'

I ran my thumb under his left eye, where scar should have been. 'Well, it's what you are, right? Living here...in this big house...far too big for two people...when there's people on the other side of that wall who can't even make ends meet. Getting infected with God knows what...only being able to rely on themselves.' Sion opened his mouth before closing it, glancing away. I chewed my bottom lip for a moment before settling down next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. '...I'll promise you something if you promise me something in return.'  
He looked at me, raising an eyebrow. '...Promise? Promise what?'

'...You'll only be mine. That you'll devote yourself only to me.' I pressed closer. 'No one else.' Sion's eyes widened a little as he watched me. I got the feeling he was getting uneasy with how close I was getting. The possessive notions escaping from between my lips. But I didn't stop. 'If you promise that...I'll watch over you...I'll keep you from harm...and I'll always be there for you...forever.'

'I think out of the two of us, you're the one...that should be protected.' He managed a small, wry smile. 'I'm closed off from the world with these walls. Nothing ever reaches here.'  
I returned the smile. 'True me. I can take care of myself.'  
'Yes, I know. You told me so enough.'

'...but promise me...please...you have no idea.'  
I heard him laugh quietly as he reached out to gently brush my hair away from my eyes. 'I think I'm getting a pretty good idea.

'Does it bother you?' I asked.  
He shook his head. 'I like you. Although...some of the things you just said is...a little unsettling.'

Fuck. Went and stuck my foot in my mouth. Good going. You're off to a wonderful start here. Any other fuck ups? 'Sorry...I haven't really thought this through.'

His eyes began to flutter shut as I started to stroke his cheek again. He was leaning into my hand a little. For a few minutes we lay there like that, in complete silence. The emotions were bubbling up again. I didn't want to break down on him. I didn't want him to think I was weak. In an instant, I moved forward, embracing him tightly, both arms wrapping around his shoulders. I felt him flail against me, a soft noise escaping him as I pretty much squeezed the air out of his lungs. Once settled, he returned the embrace, resting his nose on my shoulder. '...come on...just tell me.'  
'I can't...not now.'  
He sighed before muttering against my hair. 'Alright, alright...I get it.'  
'Huh?'

'You don't have to say anything. I'll stop asking.'

Stop...just stop being so fucking understanding. I know how much you want to know..but I don't know what'll happen if I do end up telling you. Will it be alright? Will we just carry on? Or will I disappear from this time? Will I be taken away from him for good? I didn't want to risk it...not now.

I moved, resting my head in the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent. '...I want to tell you.' Sion looked down at me questioningly. '..I just...don't think you'll believe me...not now.'  
Lies. But whatever.

A finger was pressed against my lips, followed by yawning. '...I get it.'

'...but you don't...you _don't_.'  
'Then either _say_ it in a way that I will, or just...stop talking about it, and...telling me how I don't know anything.'

How...how can I? You don't know...you have no idea...you won't unless I tell you. I bit down hard on my bottom lip. 'I've...been through a lot to get here...to you.'

Sion frowned in confusion, staring at me incredulously. '...to...me? But...but you didn't know me...before...'  
Somewhere within the depths of my subconscious I felt Elyurias stir. Her voice was quiet, but firm.

_Stop now, child._

She was right. I was getting ahead of myself. Too wrapped up in the fact that I was back with Sion...the rain hammering against the window serving as a constant reminder that I would have to leave him soon. Why did it have to be this way? We'd just parted...I don't want to part from him again. I swallowed hard, clinging even tighter to him, burying my face in his chest, trying my hardest to keep myself from falling apart. '...just...hold onto me, okay? It's...it's enough.' My throat was going dry. It ached. Because I wanted to cry. I wanted to cry so much. My own fucking pride was keeping me from it. It wasn't fair...none of this was fair. I felt him tighten his grip around me, curling into my embrace. My shoulders started to shake. My nails were digging into his shirt. I began to hum quietly, hoping it would calm me down. His hands running along my back were doing a far better job of that. When I finally spoke, my voice came out nothing more than a whisper.

'I need to go soon.'

'...I know.'

'...but I'll find you...I'll come back to you.'

'...okay...I'll be waiting.'

My chest clenched a little at those words. Sion...you're still the same...you're still my Sion, right? '...you...you will...won't you?'

He laughed quietly, giving me a somewhat embarrassed smile. 'I'm good at waiting. Even for a long time.'

Don't I know it. '...then I'll try not to make you wait too long.'

'Take care of yourself, though, okay? First and foremost.'

I'm sure I mumbled something along the lines of "yeah, you too" against his shirt. Through holding each other in such a calming way, I'd managed to drift off back to sleep. I think he did too. It felt as if I'd only blinked, and the sun was already rising, the storm having ended, leaving nothing but puddles and damp grass as a sign it'd ever been raining at all.

I didn't bother waking Sion up this time, either. It didn't feel right. I left the same way I did four years ago, without saying a word, those two empty mugs of hot chocolate on the counter acting as undeniable proof that last night had happened. I came and went as fast as the storm did, and began to plan out my next encounter with Sion.

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I hope you enjoyed it! Please feel free to leave feedback! I'd really appreciate it~

Until next time~


	3. City Adorned in Light

Hey, guys! Hope you're all well. Decided to make this chapter a bit sugary sweet. There will probably be more chapters like this to follow. Is that okay?

Anyways, enjoy!

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It was the start summer, and the amount of harmful fumes and waste that comes out of the city had doubled in comparison to how much is exerted at any other point in the year. No.6 gets a lot of visitors during this season, I hear. This is probably because of the extreme heat waves, the fact it's a tourist hotspot and...well, it's No.6. Where else would the first class citizens want to spend their summer? The luxury of "air conditioning" does not exist out in the west district and a lot of people can't cut it, so they leave over summer, migrating south towards the ocean. It's still hot there, but the ocean often brings in strong winds, perfect for cooling down. The same goes for swimming in general. I've only made the trip once and I vowed never to do so again. Because of the sheer amount of people who travel down there and all have to live together for up to four months, there's not always enough food. Children are often kidnapped and food or money is used as a ransom. Or the child is just eaten. And there's no authoritative figure to prevent any of this from happening, so these things just happen and everyone tends to turn a blind eye to it. So as you can see, there are pros and cons; if you stay in the west district, you can burn to a crisp, but you can still get by with enough to eat, whereas it's the exact opposite if you head to the beach.

The best solution I've found is to stock up on enough food and water to get me through the summer. I normally start after March. It can generally stay quite cool in the underground rooms, so it means I can pretty much survive staying in my room without having to leave too often.

I closed the second box after having unloaded the last of the books, I sat back on my heels, glancing around my room to survey the day's work so far. Today was the day I found a load of old books in the abandoned library behind the hotel that would soon belong to Inukashi. I had already moved into my small underground room with was now looking slightly more like home. I had all my bookshelves, which I had found at the dump not far from where I lived. It took several trips to get them all here, but I knew that there wasn't much point in rushing. No one else around here has an interest in reading. Come to think of it, I remember visiting my neighbour's place once. There was a burst pipe and I had to check where the source was. He had a fucking snooker table. And a double bed. God knows where he'd managed to get all that through the front door, let alone where he'd got them from in the first place.

I still had to wait a while for the piano. I still remember the exact date I'd found it. It was the day I met Inukashi. She had been sleeping underneath the climbing frame in the playground with a bunch of her dogs. She obviously heard me passing and decided to make a bit of money. Unfortunately for her, I'd been expecting it. Also, I had nothing on me at the time. After we came to a truce she decided to follow me, demanding where I was going.

'To the dump,' I replied.

'Huh?' So elegant. As always.

'People throw things out that I can use.'

Growing evermore curious, she followed me all the way there, keeping her distance the whole while.  
Surprisingly enough, what caught my attention first wasn't the piano itself, but the cloth it had been wrapped up in. Inukashi noticed it too and we both seized it.

'Let go,' she snarled.

'Like hell. I saw it first,' I snapped back.

'As if.'

'_I_ brought _you_ here, you mongrel! So give it to me!'

The bickering continued for quite a while until I reached out and sliced the fabric in half with my knife. 'There! Happy now?'

She stared at me, thoroughly stunned. 'The fuck did you do that for?'

I took my half and wrapped it around myself as a scarf. 'It was too big for one person anyway.'

It was then that the piano caught my eye. Seriously? Superfibre cloth _and_ a piano? Sweet! Well, it would've been, except Inukashi was still complaining about the cloth. I was too busy dragging the piano away to pay any attention to her. The curses and insults carried on flying my way until she finally stopped her little tantrum and went back to her "home" in the playground.

We didn't exchange names that time. Can you blame me though? Who'd want to be acquaintances with some stroppy little brat who stank of dogs? Not me, that's for , who cares? I got a piano and superfibre cloth. I would _not_ let her ruin my day.

There were still so many boxes left to go through. Both here and at the library. This was going to take forever to sort out...or I could just pile them up and deal with them another time.

_Such a messy child._

Elyurias was watching me from the other side of the room. She'd taken on the form of my little sister now. She had a knack for choosing forms that wouldn't make me lash out on certain occasions. She'd never use my older sister's form. Nor the old woman who raised me. It was always either my mother or my younger sister. It made me wonder what Elyurias really looked like.

'At least some things don't change,' I muttered under my breath.

_Indeed._

I didn't like the way she was watching me. It was so intent. Was she studying me? Was I her new specimen?

'Elyurias.'

_What is it, child?_

'If...you're here...you're not detained within the correctional facility, right?'

_Correct._

'So...they won't be able to use your power. The bees, I mean. They won't be able to test the bees out on the citizens.'

_Correct._

'So Sion will never get bitten by one?'

_Correct._

'And...he won't be arrested...'  
_Unless the No.6 officials catch him saying things against the city he should be fine._

'So he needs to bite his tongue.'

_Don't you want him to come here, Niyol?_

'Nezumi.'

_I never named any child "Nezumi." Your name is Niyol._

'...anyway, don't you think he'll live a better life without me? He's at least comfortable in No.6.'

_But he's without you. If you're not careful, you'll lose all ties with him._

'...he wouldn't have a reason to come out here.'

I felt arms wrap around my shoulders from behind.

_Niyol. You have the power to manipulate anything now. Think about it. If he comes here, there's no time limit on how long he can stay. You won't have to destroy the correctional facility._

'But Safu would still be captured. Once she finds out Sion was taken, she'll be arrested for conspiring against the city.'

_Yes, but she will be of no use. I'm with you now, Niyol._

'Sion will try to save her. He'll still make those stupid, rash decisions. He won't believe me if I tell him she's already dead.'

_He doesn't have to know, does he?_

I paused; sudden realisation dawning upon me. I never told him about the note I received from his mother about her being kidnapped...and it wouldn't take much to get to that clothes store and find her coat before Sion does. I could destroy it pretty easily. He'd never know.

_I'm glad we're on the same page, Niyol._

'Yeah.'

_After all, I only want what's best for you._

I stood up, sorting through the third box and taking out a roll of paper. After a bit of searching I found a pencil and ruler and began drawing a grid, filling 12 boxes with months and the rest with days. If I wanted this to work, I had to plan the next two years very carefully. I had to make sure not to change too much in the run up to meeting Sion again. On top of that...I had to figure out various different ways to avoid certain events and prevent some from happening. Urgh, I had my first audition at the theatre next week. I needed to practice for that too. Great.

A week later, I sent one of my robotic mice out to the city. I'd managed to rig up a microphone to it, which corresponded with one that I had crafted into an earpiece. Seeing as I'd read the vast majority of all of my books in the previous life, I felt it was necessary to spend more time practising crafting electronic devices. This particular one was slightly similar to the one I had used after Sion had received...that particular proposition from Safu. Except this newer model had a much wider range and wouldn't work if any surveillance devices were within a fifteen metre radius. After finding the perfect spot where the mouse could move around undetected, I sent another one with a note, suggesting Sion come to that particular spot a few days later. Whether he'd accept or not, I wasn't sure. But I wanted to talk to him. And test out my new toy too.

About five minutes before the rendezvous time, I heard rustling on the receiving end of the microphone, followed by a hesitant whisper. 'Hello?'  
I gave a slight smile, replying just as quietly. 'Why're you whispering?'  
'B-because I...' Sion paused, clearing his throat before I heard more shuffling. 'Sorry...I'm just getting comfortable. How are you, Nezumi?'  
'Good, can't complain. Was half expecting you not to turn up.'  
'I wouldn't do that...it's been ages...so, I didn't want to pass on the chance to talk to you.'  
My smile widened.  
'Are you close-by?' he asked.  
'No, I'm at my place. In the west district.'  
'Then you're just outside the city! That's not far at all.'  
'You sound pleased.'  
'Well..yeah...I spent two years not knowing whether you were alive or dead...or where you were. And now, here I am...just...talking to you...what is this, a robot?'  
'Yep.'  
'It's so cute! Did you make it yourself?'  
'Yep.'  
'That's incredible! I didn't think it was possible to make these sorts of things out in the west district!'  
'Well, I have a lot of practice...so how's life been treating you?'  
Sion then began to recount things to me. He told me all about what happened after he was kicked off the special course, but never once mentioning what had happened on that windy night two years ago. It seemed like he didn't want to repeat any events that had happened so he was being cautious about what he told me. He couldn't help it. He probably wanted to tell me everything, but just couldn't. I didn't mind. At least I was talking to him. And I was overjoyed to hear that he hadn't changed at all. He was still a brainbox, he was still so naive, he was still curious and inquisitive and he was still Sion. My Sion. I think we spoke for about twenty minutes before the line cut out. A couple of minutes later I heard him whisper again.  
'Sorry...this security guard who was patrolling came over...he asked who I was talking to...wait, you did hear all that, right?'  
'No, this little guy's designed not to work if there's surveillance nearby.'  
'T-that's incredible...a-anyway, he asked who I was talking to...and I just said the mouse.'  
I raised an eyebrow. 'You actually said that to him?'  
'Y-yeah...but he left me be and told me to go home...so...I'm really sorry, but I have to go.'  
Of course. It was too good to last.  
'But I'll talk to you soon, right?' Sion sounded so desperate. Did he actually miss me that much? As much as I missed him?  
'Y-yeah...sure.'  
'...Nezumi?'  
'...yeah?'  
'Will I ever see you again?'  
My chest clenched at his words. He sounded so upset. If only I could see his face...if only I could hold him...hold him tight and tell him it was all okay... 'Yeah...soon. I promise.'  
'When is soon?'  
Did he honestly want an exact date? '...just...if you get into trouble...I'll be there, okay? But that doesn't mean you should go looking for trouble. It'd be pretty shitty for you in the longrun.'  
'So...if I get into trouble...I'll see you again.'  
'Yeah...just...promise me you'll try and stay safe.'  
He sighed quietly. 'Alright...but you owe me answers. Lots of them.'  
'Naturally...but all in good time, Sion.'  
I heard him chuckle quietly. 'But...you promise you'll answer all of them...'  
'When the time comes, yes.'  
'Okay. You better.'  
Oh, you sound so threatening.  
'Go home already.'  
'I'm going...is it okay if I take this mouse with me? So I can talk to you easily.'  
I grinned a little. 'Sure. Just don't chuck him around otherwise he'll break.'  
'Oh no, I'll take very good care of him...so...I'll talk to you soon?'  
'Very soon.'  
'Okay...bye, Nezumi.'  
'Bye, Sion.'  
His voice was strained. I'm pretty sure mine was too. I really couldn't stand these sort of goodbyes. I wanted to talk to him more...but..it had to be this way. It'd be worth it in the end.  
'Be safe.' It was barely more than a whisper, but it made my chest clench again.  
'Yeah...you too. Take care of yourself.'  
The line went dead.

I sat back in my seat, massaging my temple, trying my hardest to keep myself composed.  
_Do you feel better now, child?  
_'Yeah, I really do.'  
_He obviously still cares about you.  
_'I was afraid he'd lose interest.'  
_If he didn't lose interest last time, why wouldn't he this time?  
_'I suppose that's true...do you think it'll be the same?'  
_No. You've already changed an awful lot, so nothing is going to be the same...but I do think he finds you more fascinating than before.  
_'That's good...that's great...'  
_Just keep this up. It's going well.  
_That was such a weight off my shoulders. I couldn't even to begin to describe how relieved I was. There was always this nagging voice in the back of my mind (No, not Elyurias) that was trying to convince me otherwise. That Sion would lose interest in me...or even begin to resent me. I couldn't handle that. Not at all. But he sounded so happy speaking to me...and so sad to be parted with me again.

I think it was a few nights later, just as I was drifting off to sleep when I heard Sion whisper into his little mouse. By that time, I'd rigged up the receiving end to a very hastily put together speaker system that really needed redoing. To be honest, I never expected it to actually work.  
'Nezumi?'  
I reached over, grabbing my earpiece and whispering back, just as quietly. I didn't want his mother to hear us talking. 'I'm here, Sion.'  
'...I can't sleep.'  
I smiled gently. 'Stupid...hug a pillow to your chest, pretend it's me.'  
There was the distinct sound of rustling fabric followed by the word "squeeeeze" being drawn out.  
'Don't squeeze me.' I tugged one of my pillows to my chest too, wrapping both arms around it tightly. 'Or I'll squeeze you back.'  
'I wouldn't mind...'  
Oh? Is _this_ why he called me?  
'...wouldn't you?'  
'No...I'd like it...I think...'  
'You think?'  
He made a quiet squeaking noise. 'Shut uuuppp.'  
'Hey, you called me. Don't you start going all shy on me now.'  
'Sorry...I'm just...I miss you.'  
I felt my grip tighten around the pillow slightly. 'I miss you too, Sion.'  
'Can I just...get into trouble now...so I can see you?'  
My tone turned stern. 'No, Sion. You have to wait. You told me you're good at waiting.'  
'...yeah, but...is this the only way?'  
'Please, Sion. Just trust me on this one.'  
'Alright.'  
'Good...now go to sleep.'  
He made another quiet noise. '...are you holding me?'  
'Yeah...nice and tight.'  
'Will you hold me until I wake up?'  
I sniggered quietly. 'Someone's getting a little unnecessarily intimate.'  
'...you don't mind though, do you?'  
'...I don't. Now go to sleep.'  
Sion giggled. 'I'll hold you tight too.'  
'I'd like that. Now stop being cute and go to sleep.'  
'But Nezumi-'  
'Don't make me disconnect you.'  
'...okay...goodnight, Nezumi...sleep tight.'  
'Sweet dreams.'  
We took turns saying those disgustingly cute phrases to each other before Sion finally dropped off to sleep, leaving me curled up against my pillow, my heart thumping in my chest, and the dorkiest grin on my face. That guy can affect me too damn much...and I wasn't going to make him stop anytime soon.

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Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this instalment! I'll update soon~ Please leave feedback, I'd really appreciate it.


	4. Life and Death

Hey again, guys :3 I hope you're all well. This is where the plot starts moving a little, and I finally know exactly where I'm going with this fic. It took a while to get it all sorted, but I think I have the next few chapters thought out pretty well.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. I worked really hard on it, and almost ruined it in the process XD;

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I slammed both hands against the smooth edges of the sink, gripping it as tight as I could, all ten sets of knuckles paling. It was filled to the brim with a dark red liquid, the same of which decorated my fingers, the stains already darkening on my skin, seeping under my nails. I stared at my reflection for a few moments, reaching up to brush my fringe away from my eyes, clumsily leaving red smears across my face in the process. But that wasn't exactly my primary concern at that point in time. My eyes were wide and manic. I was terrified. What on earth was happening?  
I desperately started to turn the small metal handle of the tap, but no water came out. Instead, more of the deep, thick liquid, causing the sink to overflow and begin to drip onto the floor, the red droplets being instantly absorbed by the wooden floorboards beneath my bare feet. What was it? Why did it haunt me so?  
I felt eyes on me. They were watching. One pair. Two pairs. Three. Fifty. All of them were watching me. Surely, I wasn't just being paranoid...my senses didn't usually deceive me. There were definitely people watching me. Beads of sweat began to form on my forehead. I glanced back at my reflection again, spreading more crimson over my skin, a small drop landing on my lower lip seconds later.  
It tasted sweet.  
Not metallic like I had predicted...just...sweet.  
I glanced down at the lamp that had hastily been placed by my feet before my whole body tensed up at the sound of voices.  
'What is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands,' said one.  
'It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus washing her hands. I have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour,' replied the other.  
I hadn't even noticed, but I was, indeed wringing my hands, nails scraping over the stained skin, both of them turning a deeper shade of red with every passing second. With the state of my nails, it didn't make sense that I would be trying to clean them in this way. It'd only make things worse. I wasn't thinking straight. Something was very wrong.  
I raised my head, eyes wide and hollow, staring straight ahead, not even focusing on anything. 'Yet…here's a spot,' I murmured, as I tried my very hardest to keep my voice audible to those eyes that were fixed on me, never once moving. The wringing intensified.  
'Hark! She speaks. I will set down what comes from her, to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly.' The Doctor sounded incredulous. Surprised. Curious to hear what I'd come up with next.  
Don't mess this up, Nezumi. You only have one shot at this; otherwise your acting career is done for. Lady Macbeth; my first leading role. I'd managed to get myself into the main cast after I was made Juliet's understudy during last season's rendition of "Romeo and Juliet". I only had one chance to perform, but I had been very fortunate. Critics had been in the audience. Very impressed critics. They spoke to the manager of the theatre after the show and told him that he would be missing out if I wasn't put in the main cast in future performances, if not made the new leading lady. It's not necessarily about talent, more popularity. I occasionally come across abandoned gossip magazines at the dump which mention famous actors, some of which I wondered how they even got to be so popular despite their evident lack of talent. The critics noticed the amount of attention I received; an extremely attractive teenage boy pulling off the perfect illusion of young, innocent Juliet. To boot, the majority of the men in the audience really liked what they were seeing. No one could deny that, especially after the amount of flowers and fairly indecent propositions I had received after my debut. The manager agreed of course, and I was given my permanent contract with the theatre.  
More raspberry juice dripped onto my lip and I tried my hardest not to lick it away. Eventually it slid down my chin, splattering on my beautiful white night gown. Another fell as I looked down to survey the damage and I inwardly hoped that I better not be forced to pay for this. Using fruit juice wasn't even my idea. However splattering the "blood" over my face was. Surely the theatre would make enough money to buy a new dress for next time, especially considering the place was absolutely packed. I don't think I'd ever seen it this busy on an opening night before. I couldn't help but feel I was responsible for the turnout, but that wasn't for me to voice aloud.  
Eve and I couldn't be less alike. In the past I've been called various things; "an outright demon," "emotionless" "obnoxious" "rude" and a "brat." Eve is nothing like that. She's kind, extremely friendly, polite, completely unaware of her skills as an actress and just a pretty decent girl. One of the biggest fascinations people have with her is probably how she managed to survive in the west district this long whilst being so god damned nice. Of course, I do often get stopped in the street by people who recognise me, and putting on a cheerful face and being grateful for their feedback isn't the exactly the hardest thing for me to do.  
I took a deep breath before letting go of the sink and turning to face the audience, never once focusing on one particular person. My arms flew out, letting everyone see my hands. 'Out, damned spot! Out, I say!' I retracted my hands, surveying them quickly. 'One: two: why, then, 'tis time to do't.' Out again, one finger thrusting into the air accusingly before I continued with the monologue. 'Hell is murky! Fie, my lord, fie! Soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?'  
I was supposed to be dreaming. Lady Macbeth was sleepwalking in this particular scene but the director thought it'd be a little more dramatic if the audience could see exactly what I was seeing. Fantastic idea and all, but it was so messy, what with all the juice dripping all over the place. I guess it gives the bland, run down stage a slight dash of colour.  
The scene continued. The play continued. Everything went smoothly and no one made any mistakes. We couldn't afford to. If we did, it'd mean losing this job we'd all worked so hard to earn. It was one of the highest paying jobs in the west district that didn't involve exposing our bodies and all of us were fortunate to have a place here.  
Although, this is a theatre, and resident, veteran actors will always feel threatened by the young and talented that are slipped into the same category as them.  
Back when our roles for "Macbeth" had been assigned and posted up on the noticeboard, I had been dragged to the manager's office. 'What the fuck is this shit? You promised the role to me months ago!' A far more experienced actor in the theatre named Blake had been the one to grab me. Not only that, but he had played the lead female roles here for about eight years even even though he was now a ripe old age of twenty six, did didn't seem too pleased about handing the title of "leading lady" over to me. At that point, he was taller than me, but wasn't as well built. His clothes hung off his body and his skin had taken up a light grey colour, making him just seem ill.  
'He has raw talent. And the critics insisted,' the manager replied, his tone stern.  
Blake roughly tugged me to face him, practically spitting in my face as he snarled, 'I bet you fucked him didn't you. I bet you fucked all of them.'  
'Enough.'  
I was shoved back and I narrowed my eyes at him. It would be so easy to slash his repulsive face, but it would hardly put me in a good position or show me in a good light. Although, I couldn't help but replying to that comment he'd just made. 'I suppose that's what you did, huh?' I muttered.  
'You little shit, I'll tear you a new one!'  
'Blake!' The two others met gazes for a split second. I'd honestly never seen the manager that angry before. 'You're dismissed.'  
His jaw slackened a little. 'What?'  
'You're dismissed. No one talks down to our leading lady.'  
I was pretty sure Blake was going to start screaming. His grey face turning a lovely shade of red as his rage built. But instead, he left, deciding to tear his whole dressing room apart before leaving the building. It went without saying that I had to wait a while to get my dressing room, but in the end it was worth it. This job was worth it.

_It must feel good to have some time off after working so hard at the theatre.  
_I was resting my head on Elyurias' knees as she braided my hair. It felt nice talking to her. Her voice was incredibly soothing when I needed it most. 'Yeah…not quite sure what I should do though…'  
_Well you have two weeks. You could make a new device, Niyol.  
_By now, I'd grown used to her calling me this. It seemed easier just to accept it as opposed to constantly ordering her to call me Nezumi. Something else I'd noticed was her sudden interest in crafting devices. Whenever I sat down to make something new, she'd always sit there, watching whatever I was making very keenly. Occasionally, I'd even find her reading any blueprints I'd left out on the table. It made me wonder just why a forest goddess would be so into electronic devices. I'd never thought to ask her.  
Although she seemed to think this was the perfect time to explain exactly why.  
_Niyol. Please take a look at the blueprints in that box over there.  
_I groaned quietly as I moved to get up, fiddling with the braid in my hair before dropping down into a crouch and moving the contents of the box around. 'Anything in particular?'  
_I'll let you choose.  
_I mumbled to myself quietly as my eyes skimmed over the various documents that had been previously placed in the box. Different models of mice, explosives, various different tracking devices. My fingers stilled on one particular piece of paper. The shade what very different in comparison to the paper I usually use…what was it doing here? I carefully took the print out of the box and laid it down on the table, my eyes widening in shock. It was a diagram, clearly displaying the working inner mechanisms of a large truck. I'd seen the design so many times before…and upon reading the keyword "Extermination" printed in large letters along the top of the page, mere centimeters away from the No.6 coat of arms, I realized what it was. These were the plans for the trucks used in the manhunt…the ones that emit hypersonic sound waves and destroy everything in their path in the process.  
Floods of questions followed. How did this get into my room? Was this the real deal? What the fuck was going on?  
…shit.  
I turned to my right, eyes fixed on Elyurias, the shocked expression I had been sporting leaving hers completely unchanged. She didn't smile, she didn't frown, hell, she didn't even look surprised by my reaction. She was simply stoic.  
'…what did you do?'  
She finally chuckled, shaking her head a little.  
_You often take pride in how sharp your senses are, Niyol. How alert you are…even when you're asleep.  
_Don't tell me…  
_Whilst you've been sleeping, I've been doing a little digging. That blueprint is the fruit of my labour. You should be grateful.  
_I felt sick. I honestly though I was going to throw up there and then, both hands flying upwards, one clamping over my mouth, the other snagging in my hair.  
'You've been using me…you've been using my body.'  
_It's not your body, Niyol. It hasn't been your body ever since we came back to this time together.  
_Shut up.  
_I thought you knew that…still…not a word of thanks. Such an ungrateful child.  
_I picked up the page, threatening to rip it in two. 'Why would I thank you for this?'  
A chuckle echoed through my mind, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end as I was overcome with absolute fear.  
_With that blueprint, you now have the upper hand…you can find those vehicles' weak points with ease.  
_I paused, listening closely to what she was saying. I understood very well, but it was a massive risk to tamper with those things. There was no way I'd be able to destroy all of them…it was just impossible…  
_Niyol. Do you know just how powerful the wind is?  
_I swallowed a little, still very much afraid of how this was all playing out. 'By itself…it can't do much…it just blows…but what causes the major disasters are the things picked up by the strong winds…flying debris, constructions collapsing on top of people…the wind is powerless by itself…'  
_Then the wind must find things it can use.  
_'Are you honestly saying I should find people and convince them to help me out? Are you insane? No one would believe that bullshit!' I could see it now, me standing in the main street, shouting and screaming about how everyone would be saved by my newfound knowledge, passers by either ignoring or just laughing at how ridiculous it all was.  
_And are you honestly saying there aren't enough people in the west district blinded by hate for the No.6 that would pass on a chance to overthrow it?  
_'What?'  
_You can use these trucks in any way you want now, Niyol. They're as good as yours. If you teach others how they work, I'm sure a large number of you can overcome whatever the city throws at you as you attempt to take control of the trucks and find No.6's weak spot.  
_And I suppose you've figured that out too?  
_Correct.  
_'Enlighten me.'  
She sat back on her heels, stretching a little before giving me a slight smirk.  
_Poisoning the city's water supply shouldn't be too difficult. It seems like a fitting end…a slow and painful death…just like our forest.  
_That surprised me. I'd never thought of that…the water treatment centre wasn't very far from the correctional facility…if it was correctly orchestrated, stealing the trucks and getting them to the treatment centre shouldn't actually be all that difficult. After all, we'd have the upper hand. Those trucks were pretty well protected as far as I remember, bulletproof at least…  
But Sion…  
I paused for a moment before mimicking her smirk, instantly putting on a panicked expression, my voice going an octave higher. 'Sion! You need to get out of there right now…t-they're poisoning the water…I don't have time to explain…just get your things…I'll come and get you.'  
Elyurias chuckled, giving me a slight smile.  
_I'm glad we're on the same wavelength…very much so.  
_'Shall we get to planning, then?'  
_I thought you'd never ask._

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I hope you enjoyed this installment :D Please feel free to leave feedback and such! I'd really appreciate it!

x


	5. Good and Evil

Hello again! I hope you're all well! This chapter was really hard to start writing. I wasn't sure how to go about it at all, but I think it turned out okay. I'd like to thank all the reviews I received. They really helped inspire me to carry on pushing myself into writing this.  
Just to add a little more variation, this chapter is told from Sion's perspective.  
Enjoy!

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'Sion! Sion!'

Safu's voice was fading. I felt the hard surface of the wooden table against my cheek, the tea I had been drinking forming a puddle on the floor, warm liquid seeping into my sock.  
'Karan! Sion's passing out! We need to move him!'

I knew this would happen eventually. Over the past three months everyone in the city was falling ill and no one knew the cause. The doctors, nurses and medical students had been the first to go, so it left no one to figure out where the disease was coming from. No one was even sure if it was a disease. Rumours and conspiracy theories were spreading like wildfire. The whole city was out of balance, and with the government officials, members of the security bureau and police force being too ill to work, there was nothing to help keep the peace. Although at the same time, the number of people who were still able to cause a fuss was dropping significantly every day. According to the news broadcasted from the other cities, no one had died from the illness yet. Then again, no one had recovered. The symptoms mainly consisted of feeling faint, nauseous, dehydrated and being unable to stand for extended periods of time, so really the only thing we could do would be to stay in bed and intake as many fluids as possible until a cure was found.

I felt two pairs of arms wrap around me and ease me out of my seat. My body felt so heavy...so weak. I wanted to help give them a hand by at least supporting myself against them somewhat, but my legs seemed to have transformed to jelly. I couldn't do anything. I wasn't heavy or anything. Many had remarked I was underweight, but regardless, carrying a semi-conscious person up the stairs was quite a task for two women.  
Things went hazy for a few minutes and before I knew it, I was lying in bed, the blankets pulled up to my nose. A hand touched my forehead and I heard my mother's voice. 'Exactly the same as Lily...oh, Sion...'  
Mom wasn't coping well with this. Lily had collapsed in the middle of helping her out with setting up the shop a few weeks back. In the process, she landed on the baking tray she had been carrying, which had only just come out of the oven. It had left a nasty burn across her cheek. Mom was distraught and wouldn't stop blaming herself for not paying closer attention to Lily. I hoped she wouldn't blame herself for me as well. I didn't want her to fall ill too...  
It had taken a fair amount of persuasion to get Safu to go home. She didn't want to leave me in such a state, yet if there was a chance this disease was contagious, I didn't want her anywhere near me. If she got sick because of me, I'd never forgive myself.

I began to wonder how Nezumi was coping. There was every chance that the people living in the west district were also falling ill. If anything, the disease may well have stemmed from there. Nezumi did always tell me about how life out there was like living in poverty in comparison to the comfortable life within the walls of No.6.  
Come to think of it...I hadn't heard from him in so long...six...maybe seven months had passed since I last spoke to him. I still had the little robot mouse he'd given me, and always kept it close, never letting anyone else see it for fear of it being taken away from me.  
He'd promised me he'd come if I was in danger...did this illness count? Would I be seeing him soon?  
Mom was trying to talk to me. I could hear her voice, but it was impossible to make out what she was saying. How long had she been holding my hand? My grip on hers loosened slightly as I finally lost consciousness.

I felt a sharp pain run down my spine as I was awoken from my seemingly neverending slumber. It had been two weeks since I'd fallen ill and I had managed to spend the vast majority of it sleeping. Safu had been to visit me every day, helping Mom in the bakery and keeping an eye on me. Most of the time I couldn't chew anything, so I was pretty much living off soup and other soft foods. No sooner had I had my intake of food was I back to sleep again. They were worried I'd lose more weight and my condition would get worse, but for the most part, my symptoms were the same as everyone else's. But I was pretty sure no one else had felt something like _that_.

I reached behind my head, letting my fingers touch the back of my neck. Nothing abnormal...but it ached when I pressed a certain point. It could well have been nothing, but I thought it'd be better to check. After a few failed attempts, I managed to crawl out of bed and get to my feet, keeping close to the wall for support. Luckily, my legs seemed to be cooperating and I made my way to the bathroom, feeling around in the dark for the light switch. I picked up a small mirror from the side before turning around and moving it so I could see the reflection of the back of my neck in the mirrored cabinet. It took a few moments for my eyes to focus, but I cold see two tiny dots on my skin. It wasn't bleeding, but they almost resembled bite marks...maybe from an animal...  
I continued to inspect the mark for a few more minutes, instantly stilling as I heard the front door slam shut...what on earth was that? It was three in the morning. Mom was asleep in her room...at least, I assumed she was. I switched the light off, opening the bathroom door very slowly and stepping out into the corridor before I crept towards Mom's room. What I was presented with when I opened her bedroom door very nearly made me collapse on the spot. Her dresser had been knocked over, bedding and clothes strewn across the room. The lamp she always kept on her bedside table was lying on the floor, dimly lighting the room, making the curtains that were blowing by the open window seem all the more eerie. The worst part was, she was nowhere to be seen. Mom never slept with the window open, leaving me with only one possible explanation for what could have happened.  
My fears were justified as I felt two arms wrap around me from behind, both of my hands promptly tied behind my back. I couldn't even struggle if I tried. My body was just so weak. And I was terrified. My vision was robbed from me as I was promptly blindfolded and hoisted over my attacker's shoulder. 'You make a fucking sound and I'll tear your fingers off one by one.' Definitely a man. Taller than me and far better built. He could probably snap me in two if he wanted. I didn't want to risk it, so I bit my tongue, trying my hardest to focus on where he was carrying me. We went down the stairs and out the front door, which explained why I'd heard it slam a little earlier. There was someone outside. They started speaking to the man who was carrying me.  
'You're on the red team, right?'  
'Yeah. Who you got?'  
'Government official. She's a pretty fine piece of ass, don't you think?'  
A snigger came from my attacker. 'Don't even joke. They'll fucking kill you if you try anything. Plus, you won't get paid.'  
The other man sighed. 'I know, I know. Who'd you get?'  
'Some kid.'  
'Suppose they need innocent civilians too to make it less obvious what we're doing.'  
'Probably.' I heard the distinct sound of a truck getting closer and stopping beside us. 'There's your ride.'  
'Yep! I'll see you around!'  
There were a few shouts and screams coming from inside the truck, causing me to instantly tense up...they hadn't just taken my mother...they were taking others too.  
The cries were brought to an abrupt halt by the sound of a gunshot. I'd never heard a real one before. 'Listen up, you pigs! If I hear another peep out of you, I'll blow your fucking heads off! That clear?'

Silence.

'Good. Driver! The fuck're you playing at! Get us out of here already!'  
With a screech of wheels, the van drove away, leaving me any my kidnapper alone in the middle of the street. At least...I thought we were alone.

'What're you doing?! Why'd you get out of the truck, kid?!'  
There were footsteps. The other person was getting closer.  
'I was told to take that kid off your hands. He needs to go straight to the facility with me.'  
My heart leapt into my throat. That voice. It was Nezumi...  
'Yeah? How about you describe him then.'  
'Eh...about seven centimetres shorter than me. Brown hair. Needs to eat a little more. Pretty sure he was bedridden.'  
Nezumi was here. He was going to save me.  
'_Bedridden_? He was standing when I got to him.'  
'Probably coz the person who took his mother wasn't too careful with clearing up their mess. You know how kids get when they're scared. Gotta go jump into bed with Mommy.'  
The man clicked his tongue, slowly lowering me down and I felt a new pair of arms wrap around me, keeping me upright. 'Do I have to go get someone else?'  
'Yeah, hold on.' I felt one of Nezumi's hands let go of me as he started to fumble in his pockets. I heard the sound of him unfolding a piece of paper. 'These're the coordinates. Give me the ones you got for this guy.' They both exchanged the notes before Nezumi promptly hoisted me onto his back. 'Good luck!' There was a mutter in response before Nezumi broke out into a run, holding onto me tightly.

'Thank you...' I whispered, clinging onto him as hard as I could.  
'We're not out of the woods yet,' he replied.  
'What's going on?'  
'I'll explain in a sec.'  
He soon came to a stop, easing me off his back before tugging the blindfold away from my eyes, removing the ropes around my wrists, and lowering his hood. I stared at him, completely transfixed. If the voice hadn't been enough to identify him, those intense grey eyes would have sufficed. His hair was longer now, tied up in a high ponytail. He definitely was taller than me too...I had half expected him to look almost proud of himself for having rescued me...but he just looked so exhausted.  
Nezumi helped me into a small truck that was parked nearby, strapping me in before we drove off. Looking out of the window, I saw other people being carried out of their homes by cloaked men.  
'It's phase three.'  
I looked over at Nezumi, making a questioning noise.  
'Phase one was poisoning the water and making as many people in the city ill. The first targets were doctors and such so the cause couldn't be tracked. Important people had to be put out of commission too,' he began to explain. My eyes widened in shock...this...had all been planned?! 'Once at least seventy-five percent of the population was infected, they set to work on phase two.' Nezumi rubbed his forehead briefly. 'Most of that is my fault. They got wind of how I could make robots and electronic devices so they forced me to make those.' He pointed to the dashboard. A small black mouse was sitting there, eyes red and unresponsive, not unlike the mouse we had previously used to communicate. 'They inject a tiny chip under the skin when they bite someone. The chip's not too different from the VC chip that was inside me. It emits a signal that tracks your location.'  
I swallowed slowly, trying my hardest to take in all of this new information. 'So...that's what's on my neck?'  
'Yeah. Don't worry, though, I'll get it out of you before we keep moving.'  
I cocked my head to the side. '...moving?'  
'...right now, in phase three, they're using the chips to track various citizens of No.6. Some are vital, some aren't. There's this huge list of the names of all the people getting taken tonight...I managed to get your name on it. As well as your mother's and your friend's.'  
'Wait! You...you planned this?! You planned our kidnapping?!'  
'No. I planned your fucking rescue, but it all went tits up when everyone wanted in on a piece of the action,' he muttered, reaching up to adjust the rear view mirror. We were out of the city now. He'd taken a route past the sewage works and out into this desolate plain. 'We were each given the location of our target. I'd done everything I could to get one of the three of you, but it didn't happen. Safu had already been taken by the time I got into the city, and I'd only just missed your mother.'  
I clutched my seat tightly, finally managed to tear my gaze away from Nezumi. I couldn't believe this was happening... 'Where are they taking them?'  
'To the correctional facility. I think everyone's going to be used as a bargaining tool, but I'm not sure. They're definitely not going to kill anyone though.'  
'But I heard someone threatening to blow people's heads off!'  
'Yeah, if anyone tries that, they're as good as dead.' Nezumi soon pulled over, opening the door and getting out of the vehicle. 'We'll save them though. I promise.'  
I glanced over my shoulder to inspect what was in the back of the van. Books, a duvet, pillows, large rolls of paper, a few boxes and..._bottled water. _'Can I drink that? It's not infected right?'  
'Yep. Actually, give me a sec and I'll make some room for you in the back.'  
'...are we sleeping here?'  
'Yep. Once they find out I took you, they'll be looking for me. S'fine though. It'll be exciting.' He actually seemed pretty enthusiastic...despite the situation and all...he really had planned all this...he knew only recently that he might not have been able to take me from my home directly and still managed to get this backup plan working... 'Incredible,' I murmured.  
'What's that?' he called out from the back. He was shifting some of the boxes around, strapping them down securely before laying down the duvet and pillows. 'Can you get around here?'  
I slid out of the van, keeping close to the side of it so I wouldn't fall before Nezumi lifted me up into the back. I instantly seized one of the bottles; practically ripping the lid off and downing a third of it in one go.  
'Hey! Not too fast!' He closed the door behind him once he climbed in beside me. The space was only lit by the small light in the front of the van, but I was still able to see those eyes clearly. I was about to reach out and touch his cheek when he spoke again. 'I need to cut the chip out of you.'  
Ah, of course...I gave him a slow nod and he began rifling through one of the boxes, taking out what looked like a first aid kit. 'I didn't manage to get any anaesthetic in time.'  
'It's fine, go without.'  
Nezumi nodded, moving around me and pushing my head forward a little. I felt the cold surface of a disinfectant wipe against my skin. 'It's going to hurt a bit, but don't panic.'  
'I won't.' If I panicked, it might make Nezumi's hand slip. He'd slice through my spinal chord. It wasn't worth panicking. The scalpel pierced my skin and I instantly squeezed my eyes shut, trying my hardest to keep calm. Nezumi certainly had a steady hand and before I knew it he was nudging my cheek with his nose.  
'Look.' There was blood on his fingers. Not only that, but a tiny rectangular chip, with a small green light flashing on it. I couldn't believe that thing had been inserted inside me with such precision. 'You were in the same group as my original target too. As if.' He placed gauze over the wound, carefully wrapping a bandage around my neck, fingers lingering there for a few moments before he ruffled my hair. 'Gonna need your bracelet too.'  
'But it's got my identity number on it!'  
Nezumi clicked his tongue. 'You don't need it anymore. Plus, they can track us with it.'  
That was true...I'd already caused enough trouble for him...it would all be meaningless if we were caught so soon. Obediently, I removed the bracelet and handed it to him. He climbed back out of the van and threw both the chip and the bracelet on the ground, stomping on them repeatedly, sparks appearing under his boot. 'Best get moving again,' he muttered, scraping the remains into the dirt. 'You can stay there and get some sleep if you like.' Nezumi looked up at me again, giving me a gentle smile, almost as if he was trying to reassure me to not be afraid. I'd been catapulted into such a horrible situation and just like he'd promised, Nezumi had come to my rescue. Even if it had meant putting himself in danger...and rendering him homeless in the process...  
'...Thank you...thank you so much,' I replied.  
Nezumi chuckled, bowing before me. 'His majesty is most welcome.'

Once I'd settled down, bundling myself up in the blankets, he closed the doors before climbing back into the driver's seat and starting the ignition. I had so many questions left to ask Nezumi, but I was too overcome with fatigue to do anything but sleep, the other's scent doing a wonderful job of lulling me off into unconsciousness.

* * *

And plot have arrived :D Please let me know what you all thing. I'm very eager to know!  
Until next time!

xxx


	6. Angel of Death

Seriously you guuuuuyyysssss! Thanks so much for all of the wonderful reviews! I really appreciate them. They all make me smile and give me so many ideas.  
I had a brief writer's block, but I think I'm back on track. I'm trying really hard to not be one of those writers who go for months without updating, especially seeing as a lot of people seem to be enjoying what I've been writing so far. I don't want to let you guys down with something rushed or something that took far too long to write and comes out stale. So I hope you like this chapter. I wrote it about three times before I found an angle I liked and could work with.  
Enjoy!

* * *

Just as I had fallen asleep to Nezumi's scent, I awoke to it. Blinking slowly, my eyes began to focus on my surroundings. It was morning the grey sky illuminating the small space that had previously been dimly lit by the various buttons and numbers on the dashboard. From what I could see of the sky from where I lay, it was probably going to rain. At least that would erase the tire tracks and make us more difficult to find…  
It was warm.  
I glanced to my side and found Nezumi curled up next to me, his head resting snugly against the crook of my neck. One of his arms was wrapped around my torso. Our legs had apparently managed to get tangled at some point during the night too. Hesitantly, I began stroking the top of his head, my fingers running through his soft hair. His reaction to that was a quiet grunt, so I stopped, choosing instead to inspect his features. I never thought it was possible for someone who used to be so tiny and fragile to transform into someone so strong and…well…beautiful. I'd never seen anyone with a face quite like Nezumi's; resting on the border of not too masculine and not too feminine...he seemed almost androgynous in some respects. His eyelashes were so thick and long too…  
'Stop staring at me,' I heard him mumble tiredly, burying his face in my neck. 'Weirdo.'  
'Good morning to you too,' I chuckled. 'Did you sleep well?'  
Nezumi made a quiet noise before looking up at me, grinning a little. 'Yeah. You're still comfy to sleep on. And you're warm.'  
'I'm glad you think that.'  
After a few moments of just lying there, Nezumi promptly clambered over me, peering over at the clock on the dashboard. 'Fuck me, Sion, it's eight in the morning.'  
I blinked a little at his reaction. '…and?'  
'I only parked here three hours ago.'  
'…you were driving until five? How far out are we?'  
'Pretty far. But we should try and get a little farther away. They won't bother coming all the way out here for me,' he shrugged, flopping back down beside me. 'Need to get gas too, but I'll walk there a little later.'  
'I could go get some if you want.'  
Nezumi's arm wrapping around me showed exactly how he felt about that prospect. 'No. Stay here and keep me warm,' he yawned, causing me to yawn seconds later. 'Besides, you can't even walk properly. What if you collapsed on your way there?'  
'…I guess you're right.'

A few minutes later, Nezumi had begun to doze off, leaving me to observe my surroundings now that they were better lit. As soon as I felt him roll away from me, I moved to crawl out of the "bed", fiddling with the door and climbing out of the van, my eyes widening at what was presented to me. It looked like we were on the edge of a forest, right next to a small river. Nothing like the desolate planes I had expected us to stay in for quite some time. The water seemed clean enough. There were a few fish swimming around, bugs zooming in every direction. This place was nothing like the artificial water features you'd get in the park in No.6. This was the real deal. The wind shook the trees, a soft shattering sound reaching my ears. I loved that sound, the sound of the wind moving through the leaves. When I was younger, it had often sent me into a state of daydreaming. It was such a relaxing sound. Maybe if I ventured deeper into the forest I'd hear more of it...maybe it'd be all I'd hear...what a prospect...  
I carefully made my way down to the water's edge, not wanting to slip and fall. Feeling a little experimental, I dipped the tip of my toes into the water, relishing at how cool it felt against my skin. From where I stood, I could just about see the bottom...probably wasn't a good idea to go diving in if I wanted to get to the trees on the other side. Instead, I crouched down, peering at the surface for little signs of life.  
Moments later, I saw a shadow next to mine and I very nearly fell over in surprised. I'd been so entranced by the water, I'd completely zoned out. Nezumi grabbed my arm to keep me steady. 'Woah there, don't fall in.'  
'I wasn't trying to. You surprised me,' I replied, using him as a balance to help myself get back to my feet. Still not completely working... 'I thought you wanted to sleep.'  
'Yeah, but there's stuff to do. I can sleep later.'

Within the next ten minutes I was changed into a set of Nezumi's clothes, which albeit being a couple of sizes too big for me, were far more decent attire than my pyjamas. He'd started preparing "breakfast" for us too. In my case that meant a slice of bread, an apple and about half a litre of water. Nezumi just stuck with a slice of bread and only a small amount of water, insisting that because I had yet to recover, I needed the most nutrients, and no amount of me telling him that it wasn't fair would persuade him otherwise.  
A little while after that, he left for the gas station, which he insisted wasn't far, but too far for me to go with him. He wanted me to stay in the van and not go wandering off, yet now that the sun had decided to make its appearance, it was beginning to get hot. In an attempt to keep cool, I sat in the shadow of the van with one of the books he had brought along with him. It felt strange holding a book again after spending so many years reading E-books. I remember Nezumi telling me about this one..."Hamlet." He often told me I spoke like a chimpanzee and that reading Hamlet would improve my vocabulary...although it was like reading in a completely different language. I wasn't used to all of these old fashioned and out-dated words and phrases. Still, I persevered.  
By the time Nezumi came back, I'd managed to doze off. I felt him shake my shoulder gently, waking me up. 'If you wanna sleep, sleep inside. I don't want you getting more sick.'  
I yawned quietly, holding out both of my hands to him, which he took; pulling me to my feet and leading me back inside.  
He pulled me close, the soft fabric of the blanket brushing against my cheek, one of his arms wrapped around my waist. We'd spoken a lot about doing this...I never thought it would be this easy to just adjust into embracing each other in such a way. It always made me blush when he said how much he wanted to hold me close so we could keep each other warm in our sleep. My chest would tighten each time, and right now, I could feel it radiating warmth throughout my whole being. Hopefully Nezumi would be getting some of that warmth...I wanted to share it with him. I wanted to share every single part of this experience with him. Elegant fingers were running over my ribcage, a palm pressed near my waist. 'You're so skinny...' he mumbled tiredly.  
'I've been sick for a while, you know. It's not exactly easy to stay a healthy weight when you're not eating anything,' I replied, my own hand finding his side, idly tracing the creases of his shirt.  
The touches weren't tentative or confident...I suppose they were made more to comfort, distracting us from how truly awful this situation was, both of us working together to ease the pain that we were both feeling. I'd been ripped from my home against my will, and Nezumi had sacrificed his own to rescue me, leaving us both in this cramped space that was beginning to feel like a little piece of heaven in comparison to where I could have ended up had Nezumi not come for me when I needed him most. He had known I was in danger. He had known we were all in danger, and he had tried so hard to save us. Mom...Safu...they'd only just slipped through his fingers. I couldn't begin to think of the amount of guilt he was probably feeling. Maybe he thought he had let me down. Maybe he thought I wished he had just left me there. Maybe he thought I didn't want to be with him. I didn't have a choice in this matter...he had to make the choice for me. All of the possibilities of Nezumi being upset by this made my stomach churn in the most unpleasant ways.  
Silence soon descended upon us, and we continued to touch one another, not quite conscious.  
'...you okay?' he asked quietly, his hand moving to my back.  
'...not really.'  
'Is there anything I can do?'  
I smiled gently, nudging his jaw with my nose. 'You've already done enough for me...I can't thank you enough...' I paused for a moment, snagging my fingers in his shirt, pressing myself a little closer. 'But...just...just carry on...that'll help.'  
Even though he couldn't see my face, I think he knew I was crying. No amount of trying would stop my shoulders from shaking, or my grip from tightening. He let me hold onto him as tight as I could, all the while doing his best to comfort me and keep me from breaking down completely. At some point, I'd managed to fall asleep in his arms, my brain finally giving me a break from all of the negative thoughts enveloping my mind.

When I awoke, Nezumi had taken up my previous role, gentle fingers threading through my hair, eyes fixed on me. Our gazes met for a brief second before I found myself chuckling and burying my face in the blanket.  
This was ridiculous.  
Nezumi's fingers scratched behind my ear before he attempted to pry my face from its hiding place within the creases of the blanket. 'No hiding now,' he teased, fingertips brushing over a sensitive spot on my neck. I instantly hunched my shoulders, curling up in a tight ball to protect myself from an onslaught of tickling. It was only a natural reaction. I always found it interesting how people would curl up in such a way that would make tickling easier...I succumbed to such a fate as I felt him tickle my sides, the thin, oversized shirt I'd been provided with serving as next to no protection. I was in hysterics, begging him to stop between laughs and gasps for breath, trying to grab his wrists and hold them still long enough for me to crawl away. After several failed attempts, my left hand met his right, our fingers weaving together almost automatically. I glanced at our hands, laced and fixed together before our eyes met again. He was smiling, but his eyes weren't. I saw countless emotions within them...pain, need, suffering, sadness...they seemed almost empty. For a brief moment, I thought back to all the times before when I'd spoken with him. His voice was always dripping with sadness. Possibly with regret too...and pain...agony...so much agony. The amount of physical and mental trauma he had gone through during his life was now extremely evident as I looked deeper into his eyes.  
Nezumi, what has hurt you so much that you can't be happy even when I'm here? Is it something I can't fix? Is it out of my control? Please tell me. I want to help. I want to ease whatever pain you're feeling.

Before I knew what I was doing, I sat up, embracing Nezumi tightly, my arms squeezing him with all the strength I could muster. He reacted almost instantly, pulling me close, pressing his forehead against my shoulder. 'You're not allowed to hide either,' I whispered, my nails digging into his shirt. I felt slight bumps underneath it and remembered the scars on his back that I'd seen for only a split second when we were twelve.  
'...I have no choice,' he replied after a few moments, his voice nothing more than a whisper. It was only for me to hear. Only I would be graced with hearing such words. I wanted it this way...as selfish as it was, I wanted to be the only one who knew how Nezumi felt deep down. I just prayed that he felt the same about that prospect and would let me in, breaking the barrier between us. I didn't want to smash it to pieces...simply take it apart piece by piece in a way Nezumi wouldn't be frightened of.  
'...please...tell me what's bothering you,' I murmured, closing my eyes, focusing on the sound of his breathing, inhaling his scent, inwardly hoping that he was as soothed by mine as I was by his.  
There were a few moments of silence as he started to collect his thoughts. I didn't want to rush him, however. This was Nezumi, after all. If he didn't want to tell his secrets, he wouldn't...but I had managed to persuade him into talking several times before. I wasn't going to lose hope now.  
'I lied...last night.'  
'What did you lie about, Nezumi.'  
'...we can't.'  
'We can't what?'  
'...we can't save them.'  
My grip slackened. I think he mistook that as me trying to pull away, so he pulled me closer, rendering me motionless.  
'There's...just too many people involved now...they'll kill us if we go back there.' He was scared. That enough was evident. I'd heard it in people's voices plenty of times...Mom would call me when I didn't come home from work until late, asking me if I was alright because she was scared I'd been attacked. Safu would be scared about how I hadn't planned my life in a manner that she thought was sufficient enough for me, constantly telling me how intelligent I was and that I should've gone on the special course and beyond. But I what I was hearing in Nezumi's voice was nothing like that. No, this was true _fear._ What had he seen? What did he know? What had shaken him up so much? 'They want my head, Sion...and they know that the best way to get to me is to take you...I can't lose you...not again.'  
"Again"? What did he mean by "again"?  
I rubbed the back of his head, trying my hardest to calm him down and provide him with at least a bit of comfort. '...did you do something bad?'  
He nodded.  
'...what happened?'  
His grip tightened even more. It almost felt like he thought I would disappear if he let go. As long as it was helping him find his words, I didn't say anything against it.  
'...you'll hate me if I tell you.'  
'How do you know that if you haven't even told me yet?'  
'...you just will.'  
I hummed quietly, twirling a lock of greyish hair around my index finger as I thought about the best way to go about this. 'But if you don't tell me, it'll keep eating at you, won't it? You'll still have that pained look in your eyes...I'll listen, Nezumi...and I won't judge you.'  
Moments later he released me, sitting back a little, both of his hands taking mine and squeezing tightly. '...I...I was their leader.'  
My eyes widened slightly. I wanted to ask for more of an exclamation my mind suddenly buzzing with dozens of questions, but I knew my panicking would only cause Nezumi to panic too. Then he would close up, refusing to expand on the details. I was curious as to how this would play out, so I let him continue, stumbling over his words the whole time.  
'...in the west district there's this thing called the "Manhunt." People from the correctional facility come and kidnap hundreds of people and take them away. They use these trucks that emit high frequency sound waves that destroy everything in their path,' he began to explain, eyes fixed on me the whole time. I ran my thumb over his knuckles in an attempt to keep him going. 'I managed to get a hold of some blueprints for the trucks and after a bit of persuasion I got a few followers who wanted to help me overthrow No.6.'  
He paused, seemingly searching for a reaction from me. I nodded. He never really went into much detail as to why, but I knew Nezumi hated No.6 with a passion...I'd always wondered about the true reason behind it, but maybe pushing him into telling me wouldn't be the best of moves. So I let him continue.  
'Things...got a little out of hand once the water was poisoned. I was no longer a leader, more part of a team, working around the clock to get all of the electronic devices together. The chips, communication hardware, tracking systems, everything you can imagine. Naturally they decided I wasn't a suitable enough leader if I couldn't juggle giving out orders and making things at the same time, so I was forced to step down.' One of my hands was freed and Nezumi cupped my right cheek, his thumb running just under my left eye.  
The pained look was back...he was looking for something. Someone. For a brief moment I feared it was someone else...someone who meant more to him than I did. My heart pounded at the prospect. He wasn't stroking _my_ cheek...I knew that much. He wanted to be stroking that other person's cheek in place of mine.  
Was I the replacement?  
Would I be cast aside once he found that person?  
Was it already too late and I was the fallback?  
Why can't I read you, Nezumi?  
'I never intended for it to go as far as it did...before I knew it, they were already planning their own manhunt, using _my _technology. Even if I refused to make any more electronics, they would carry on without me. I had several other people working with me who are probably still at it now...and if they continue working together they'll most likely surpass anything I've ever made...'  
'...and if we stay too close they'll find us.'  
He nodded. 'There's a high chance.'  
'...why did you betray them? What was the real reason?'  
Both of his hands were cupping my cheeks now, our foreheads pressed together. '...you. Just you.'  
'...you're not lying.'  
'Didn't I say before I didn't want to lose you?'  
'_Again_.'  
'...sorry?'  
'You said you didn't want to lose me _again_.'  
Nezumi's jaw slackened slightly for a few seconds before he shook his head. 'No, that was a slip of the tongue. I meant...look, I lost _everything._ That city, that _place_ took everything from me. They destroyed my home, killed my family and tried to use me as a lab rat. You're the only one I have left.'  
'And that's why you betrayed your people?'  
'My people are dead, Sion. I betrayed likeminded haters of No.6.'  
'...they don't mean anything to you?'  
'Nothing.'  
'And I'm-'  
'Everything.'  
I wasn't surprised. From the way this conversation was going I had been expecting an outcome like this. In some respects, such a reaction made sense. I was the only person to have given Nezumi the time of day, let alone any compassion. I _cared_about him. Very deeply too. Because I knew that deep down, he cared about me on the same level. It would probably take such a long time for him to admit that to me verbally, but I indeed understood his feelings. If he had experienced nothing but rejection before he had met me, then naturally he would want to latch onto that one thing that brought him happiness. Even if he had been conditioned into rejecting such things, it's always deep rooted into our nature to seek out compassion and comfort. I provided Nezumi with food, warmth and shelter; the perfect mix of things to gain even the most hostile person's trust. That was probably another thing Nezumi would never admit to – that he trusted me. If he didn't trust me why would he go to all that effort to make a communication device we could use to talk to each other? If he didn't enjoy my company why would he let me wake him up in the dead of night just so I could talk to him? And if he didn't want to be with his one remaining source of comfort, why would he have saved me?

I glanced to the side, taking in my surroundings again; scraps of Nezumi's home hastily stacked into boxes around us. I had this extremely vivid image in mind of him grabbing as many things as he could, shoving them in boxes before loading them into this van that he had most likely stolen. Sweating as he heaved the massive loads in here, constantly aware that the clock was ticking and he had no time to waste if he wanted to see me again. This would be the last chance before I was thrown into oblivion. He'd never see me again, his one last chance at happiness. His one last chance to build a home that he would happily return to when the day is done. I also envisioned him reaching Safu's home mere seconds too late, seeing her being piled into a truck of screaming people, possibly demanding they let him take her away with him instead, only to be rejected, mocked and ridiculed; the once great leader fallen from grace. Still against the clock, the had to get to my home on the other side of the city, my mother long gone by the time he arrived, and only just managing to reach me with seconds to spare.

Time hasn't been kind to you has it, Nezumi?

After considering all of this, I couldn't find the heart to be angry with him. Nezumi was only human, and carried so many scars from his past. His inner demons had gotten the better of him and perhaps, whilst blinded by hate and his drive to avenge the death of his loved ones, he had lost sight of what he really wanted. Luckily for him, he realised that this wasn't the path that he wanted to take with enough time to spare for him to change as much as he could and still have me. A torn, and broken me, but still me nonetheless.  
I couldn't hate Nezumi. He may have started this fiasco, but at least he had tried to put a stop to it, even when there was no hope in that respect. He had seen the error of his ways and upon realising his mistake he tried with all his might to repair what he had broken. The pieces were scattered, yet he still tried. He didn't give up, even at the last minute. The prospect of him having possibly _disappointed_ and lost my trust in the process was what was causing him so much pain.  
'It's okay, Nezumi. You can let go now.' His grip on my cheeks slackened and I chuckled. 'No, I mean...it's alright. I...understand...somewhat...it's a lot to process, I'll give you that.'  
I know there's nothing we can do to save everyone.  
I would never let you go near that place if there was any doubt in your mind we wouldn't both come back alive.  
Because that's what you want, isn't it? Me being alive.

Nezumi's expression softened somewhat. I think he was at a loss for words. I didn't mind. He'd said enough for now. This was enough.  
'...thank you.'  
A blink and a cock of the head implied he didn't understand.  
I chuckled again, reaching up to cup his cheeks in return. 'Thank you for saving me...thank you for giving me a second chance at living.'  
'...you don't need to thank me. Just accepting my apologies is enough.'  
'Then I accept your apologies.'  
He blinked. 'You're not angry?'  
'How can I be angry? You went through so much for me, right?'  
My cheeks were squished a little and he pulled me closer. '...you have no idea.'  
We stayed in this close proximity for a few more moments before he cleared his throat and let go of me. 'Drink some water.'  
'I feel fine actually.'  
'I'd rather you drink it and didn't relapse, actually.' He was already climbing through the gap between the two seats and into the driver's seat.  
'Are we moving again?' I asked before gulping down a generous dose of water, holding the bottle out to Nezumi a few moments later.  
He accepted, knocking back the remains. 'Yeah. Did you wanna stick around a bit longer?'  
I hummed quietly. 'I kind of wanted to go into the forest...I've never been in a real one.'  
He grinned, starting the ignition and beginning to drive away. 'Tell you what. Next forest I see, we'll stop by it and I'll show you around.'  
'Really?!'  
'My treat. Sit tight for now. Sleep if you lik-'  
I was already climbing into the passenger's seat, tugging on my seatbelt and bouncing a little, testing out the worn out springs beneath me. 'Let's go then!'  
Nezumi ruffled my hair briefly, hesitantly taking my hand in his own. '...we'll be alright, right? Just the two of us.'  
'_You're_ asking _me_?'  
He laughed. It was a real one this time. I could tell how relieved he was to have got such a weight off his shoulders. 'Yeah. You're right. We'll be fine.'

* * *

I'm sorry if I went overboard with Sion's monologues. I feel it's kind of necessary if I'm to get into character. I hope I pull him off okay.  
Please let me know your thoughts and feel free to give me ideas on how I can develop this further. I have a few ideas in mind which involve delving into Nezumi's heritage and culture. Would that interest you guys? Please let me know!  
Until next time!


	7. Hidden Dangers

Hey again! I'm really sorry about the really long hiatus. Life happened and I lost a lot of my muse for writing, especially for No.6. Even though I joined a bunch of new fandoms since my last update, I've struggled to write for them too. But this fic really means a lot to me, so I wanted to persevere. This took months to write. You can probably tell where I struggled, but I'll try and get this all wrapped up in the next few chapters.  
Apologies in advance if I disappear again. But please stick by me. I will complete this fic, even if it kills me.

Enjoy~

* * *

It was hot. So very, very hot. Even with both windows rolled down and the air conditioning on full blast, I was still baking. It didn't exactly help that neither myself or Nezumi had had a proper wash in over a week. A bar of soap and spraying each other with a freezing cold hose outside a gas station could hardly be considered a decent wash, but at least it had done a good job of cooling us off in the intense heat. I had never really noticed how hot summer could really be…pretty much every building in No.6 is supplied with air conditioning. I suppose I took all of that for granted.  
We'd both decided that the best plan of action was to try and find some work. Not permanent or anything; offering to do chores and the like for just a bit of spare change. We were quickly running out of money and pit stops at gas stations every day had successfully sucked us dry. I wasn't sure where Nezumi had got his money in the first place, but I thought it best not to ask. He had probably stolen it from somewhere. As far as I was aware people in the west district used a completely different type of currency in comparison to No.6, so anything he did have saved up would be completely useless. Yeah, he'd probably stolen it from someone. I was hardly in the right mindset to go on at him about how stealing was wrong and he could get into trouble. He was in enough trouble as it was anyway.  
After being turned down by the third house in a row, Nezumi moved to the next one, knocking on the door a few times before glancing my way and giving me a slight shrug. A heavily tattooed bald man answered. Nezumi began to explain. From where the van was parked, I couldn't make out what he was saying, but the shake of the head from the man was enough to confirm another rejection. But wait, he reached out with one arm, pointing up the road. Was he…giving Nezumi directions? I peered out of the window in the direction the man was pointing, trying to figure out which house he was talking about.  
We were in a small village, about ten minutes off the highway. It was made up of about thirty houses on each side, a church and a small supermarket. I hadn't been to a place like this since before mom and I moved to No.6. The memories were hazy, but I do remember getting an ice cream off a nice lady on the corner.  
The driver's side door swung open and Nezumi climbed back into the van, starting up the engine. 'Got a lead.'  
'Really? Where is it?'  
'About twenty minutes out. The guy said his aunt broke her arm and can't pick her vegetables to take them to market.' Nezumi began to drive in the direction given by the man, and we were soon out of the village and back on the main road.

We soon parked outside a small house which Nezumi said fit the description. He helped me out of the van, waiting for me to find my feet before he led me to the front door, knocking a few times.  
Just as expected, a small, tired looking lady answered, peering at the two of us curiously. The door was chained from the inside.  
Nezumi beamed at her brightly, giving my hair a quick ruffle. 'Hello, ma'am. My friend and I are looking for some work and your nephew told me you might be in need of assistance.'  
She blinked a few times before giving us both a gentle smile. 'Tino sent you here?'  
Nezumi nodded. 'Yes, ma'am.'  
The door closed. We both blinked, glancing at one another before a slight rattling sound came from inside and the door opened again, wide enough for us both to enter. 'I really hope it isn't too much trouble. Come in, boys.'  
I felt Nezumi nudge me from behind and I stepped inside, peering around curiously. The blinds were shut, probably to serve as a way to keep in the shade. The house was made up of an L-shaped corridor which led to, what I assumed to be all of the rooms in the house. A bungalow, perhaps. The kitchen was connected to the living room, with quite a modest array of furniture. I got the feeling that she was here alone…  
She sat down at the round kitchen table, carefully resting her bandaged arm on it, motioning for the two of us to take a seat. Once we sat down, she began to speak.  
'So what did Tino say to you…sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Matilda,' she smiled, looking at both of us expectantly.  
I was about to reply with my own name when Nezumi nudged my foot.  
'He's Aster. I'm Ventus,' he replied, his bright smile never faltering.  
…of course…we were on the run…using our real names or aliases people were familiar with might spell disaster…but the speed of which he had replied with those names…had he planned this ahead of time? Perhaps he has forgotten to fill me in…  
I gave Matilda a polite nod.  
'It's a pleasure to meet you two,' she smiled. 'Now…I pretty much live off what I make from selling fruit and vegetables to the market. Usually, my daughter helps me, but she moved in with her fiancé about a month ago. I was handling perfectly well on my own, but I suppose I was a little careless…'  
Nezumi shook his head. 'We can all be careless at times. I'll be very happy to help you while your arm gets better.'  
Finally. My time to shine. 'I can help too!'  
Another nudge from Nezumi. 'Aster here is recovering from a pretty bad case of chronic fatigue, so he can't really handle manual jobs yet. It'd be best if he stayed indoors until he's better.'

Matilda glanced at me, looking fairly worried. 'Oh, goodness. It's not contagious is it?'

'Nope. Like I said, he's recovering. Plenty of rest and liquids and he'll be better within the week.'  
Usually when I was brought into a new environment or a new house I'd survey it, taking in as many of the small details that I could, hopefully learning a little about the person, perhaps using something as a conversation piece when the time came. However, at this point, I was completely transfixed by Nezumi. I know his job was acting, but I couldn't get over how...believable his lies were. He told Matilda we were traveling across states during our gap year, lying about our ages and where we came from. The No.6 accent isn't necessarily strong, but I got the feeling Matilda might guess we weren't from "outside No.2." He also explained that we had been part of a group of six, but due to a fallout, the other four parted ways with us and we were left with no money to fund ourselves. Instead of giving up and going home, we decided to just carry on our journey for the experience.

What a story...I almost wished that was what actually happened...

'And you're just living in a van? That's horrible!' Matilda was already going to boil the kettle, but Nezumi was quick to offer her a hand.

'It's alright. At least it's warm out so we don't freeze at night,' he replied.  
'If you boys like, my daughter's room is free for you two to use.'  
'Just the one bed?'  
'That's right.'  
'I'll crash on the sofa then.'  
I blinked a few times, slightly confused by that...we'd spent every night practically latching onto one another in the back of the van...why did he suddenly want to sleep alone when we were finally offered a warm bed?  
I thought...  
'Aster,' Matilda called out.  
I looked over at her. 'Y-yeah?'  
'I'm going to show Ventus the garden. Would you like to rest in the bedroom?'  
The prospect of having a nice comfy bed to sleep in was extremely tempting, but there was something I needed far more than a decent amount of sleep. 'I'd like a bath if that's alright...it's been ages since we had a proper one...'  
She smiled widely. 'Oh, of course. I'll go get it ready for you. Ventus, could you finish on the tea?'

Nezumi was left alone in the kitchen as Matilda helped me into the bathroom, beginning to fill up the tub and set some of the products aside for me to use. 'If it gets too hot, feel free to open the window. If you want to stay in longer, you can refill it.'  
'Thank you.'  
'It's nothing. You're the ones helping me, after all.'  
Helping...  
The door closed and I started to undress, peering out of the window. Through the textured glass I could see a couple of blurs, which I assumed were the other two.  
Watching them, I suddenly had a bad feeling about this...a woman living on her own...inviting two complete strangers into her home...Nezumi had already fed her a pack of lies about where we came from...what if he was planning on stealing from her too? She was living out of the way of anything...no one would notice if anything suspicious happened within the house...  
I sank down under the water once I'd washed my hair, blowing bubbles over the surface, feeling the questions and worries eventually fizzle away as the warmth engulfed me and started to ease my tense, aching muscles.  
I really needed this...It didn't take much for the warm water to lull me off into a light sleep, my head resting on the side of the tub.

Next thing I knew, there was a soft voice calling out to me and a set of grey eyes boring into my own. It made me jump, some of the now cool water splashing onto the floor. 'A-ah!'  
'Just came to check you hadn't drowned in here,' Nezumi muttered, sitting back on his heels.  
I pulled my knees up to my chest, resting my cheek on them. 'No...I just dozed off...could you help me out?'  
'With what?'  
'...help me out of the bath.'  
Nezumi rose to his feet, leaning over me low enough for me to wrap both arms around his torso. He began to lift me out of the water and eased me out of the bath, quickly grabbing a towel off the side and bundling me up in it. He began rubbing my hair, trying to get rid of the excess water as I pulled the towel tighter around me. It was warm...considerably warmer now Nezumi was here.  
'You're staring again.'  
I blinked owlishly, feeling my cheeks suddenly heat up before I glanced away. Nezumi only chuckled, leaving the towel around my shoulders. 'Come on. I'd like a bath now. You go get ready for bed. Matilda's already left some clothes out for you until I can get you some new ones.'  
'Nezumi.' By now I was clutching his sleeve tightly, the fabric slowly dampening from my wet skin.  
'...what?'  
'...why did you say that you'd sleep on the sofa?'  
'Don't you want space?'  
I shook my head.  
'What, you'd rather have me take up all the space in the bed? I starfish, you know.'  
'You didn't in the van.'  
'That's because there wasn't enough room.'  
I swallowed, grip tightening on his sleeve a little. This had happened a few days ago too...Nezumi had got really close to me...and all I had wanted was to pull him closer...as close as I could.  
Him being there was a constant reminder of everything I had lost...everything we had both lost. We were struggling to get through every single day, yet...it was alright. He was by my side, and I was by his. I wanted to support him as much as he was supporting me.

I hated this stupid illness.  
I just wanted to be there for him...repay him for everything he had done...  
He was so difficult to read, but I could tell he was hurting. If only there was a way I could ease that pain...  
One of my hands rose to cup his cheeks and I suddenly felt him stiffen against me.  
'Sion.' Nezumi's hand was on my shoulder, firmly keeping me from getting too close to his face. 'Don't.'  
'But-'  
'No. Just...just don't.'

I moved back, swallowing hard as I felt my chest clench in the most unpleasant way. Everything was mixing up together...my throat was tight...my heart wouldn't stop thumping in my chest.  
'Sorry...'  
Silence fell between the two of us before there was a quiet knock on the door.  
'I'm going to make a start on dinner soon. Could one of you give me a hand?'  
I quickly moved away from Nezumi, wrapping the towel around my waist. 'Y-yeah, I'll just get dressed!'  
I glanced back over my shoulder at Nezumi. That pained look in his eyes was still there. I couldn't take how we was looking at me like that, not letting me do anything to try and ease the obvious pain he was feeling.  
It wasn't fair...  
Not a word passed between the two of us as I left him in the bathroom and hurried into the spare bedroom to get changed. Once that was done, I went into the kitchen, glancing at the television. The news was on...more articles on what was going on in No.6. Normally, Nezumi would change the channel if something came up about it on the radio. The first time around I'd nearly broken down in tears...it'd been quite a while since I saw it on a tv...  
'Horrible, isn't it?' Matilda called out from behind me. 'They say the government is going-'  
'...sorry, I don't really want to discuss it,' I replied quickly.

True enough. I didn't want to hear anything about it. It was another one of those reminders for memories Nezumi had repeatedly told me to cast aside. Being constantly exposed to news reports would only make it more difficult...discussing it wouldn't help either.

'Ah...my apologies,' she murmured, reaching for the remote control and changing the channel.  
I shook my head. 'It's fine...I'd just rather not hear about it...it's the same with those adverts that just guilt trip you into giving money...'  
'Fair enough.'  
'A-anyway...what should I help you with?'

By the time we were all sat around the table, eating dinner, a strange mood had settled between us. Nezumi was eagerly chatting away to Matilda about events that had never happened with people who didn't exist. Everytime she glanced across at me, I was unable to add anything to the conversation for fear of making a mistake in continuity...getting a name wrong...talking about a placewhere we couldn't've been...anything that would ruin Nezumi's seemingly flawless storytelling. Instead I chose to savour the meal in front of me best I could. It had been so long since I'd had a solid dinner seeing as I'd been living off soup and other soft foods once I fell ill. Matilda stressed how it wasn't her best as preparing food was significantly more difficult with one hand. Even with both Nezumi and I helping her, it wouldn't do much to help. I didn't exactly have the vision for cooking...

My body still wasn't used to eating such hefty food, so I focused on the meat and vegetables before admitting defeat. There was no way I could finish it all.

Nezumi reached across the table to ruffle my hair. 'You should rest.'

Matilda nodded in agreement. 'Don't worry about tidying up or anything, we have it covered.'  
I felt pretty inadequate for not being able to help out, but the idea of having a warm bed to rest in was far too good to pass up.

After excusing myself from the table, I went to Matilda's daughter's room. Whilst I changed, I started to survey my environment. From the contents of the room I guessed her daughter had left with no intention of returning. Usually you would leave clothes or a few sentimental items, yet there wasn't a scrap of clothing left behind...although there were a few stuffed toys neatly arranged at the head of the bed...I got the feeling Matilda still wasn't ready for her daughter to leave...desperately clinging on...making her bed...keeping her room ready for her to come home...although if that was the case, why would she have offered her room to me? Was this a step forward for her as she got used to the idea of finally being alone? Was she finally letting go of her daughter, allowing her to grow up and continue her life without her mother by her side?

I briefly thought back to a few conversations I'd had with Nezumi...we'd once toyed with the idea of living together when we were old enough to leave home...but I never seemed to be able to imagine living without my mother...the thought of leaving her all alone made my stomach churn...

Now those hypothetical conversations had come true...in the most unexpected and horrible way possible...I didn't have a choice in the matter if I wanted to survive...would my mother resent the idea of me refusing to go with Nezumi and have freedom if I was given the choice?It had all happened so fast, I was unable to stop him from taking me away from No.6...

'Hey.'

His voice caught me off guard and I jumped. I quickly turned around.

'Forgotten how to get changed?'

'No...I was thinking.'

'About what?'

I glanced past Nezumi before going to shut the door behind him, lowering my voice. '...I don't want to stay here alone...'  
'Why?'

'Look around.' I motioned with my arm. 'Does this look like a room belonging to someone who's getting married?'  
'...No. Looks like a pampered child owns it...' He glanced around, eyes widening slightly, his own voice lowering to match the volume of mine. 'She said she'd been gone for a month, right? Why is it cleaner than the rest of the house?'

'I know...it's...really creepy.'

'You want me in here with you coz you're creeped out?'

I gave a slow nod, fiddling with my sleeves nervously.

Nezumi sighed. 'Fine, fine. Don't complain later when you're hanging off the bed.'

I instantly perked up, unable to stop myself from beaming at him. 'I won't! I promise!'

He ruffled my hair again before leaving the room and letting me get changed. I had to rearrange the toys, moving them onto the nearby chair. After weighing up my options, I turned them around, not wanting their creepy eyes watching me sleep.

By the time Nezumi came back, I was already curled up in the bed. I heard the distinct rustling of clothing before the mattress dipped under his weight. A split second later he was above me, hands going to my sides as he begun to tickle me. I let out a sharp squeal, instantly wriggling against him, trying to get away from the onslaught of tickles, begging him to stop the whole while.

'Still want me to stay~?'

'Y-Yes!'

'You sure~?'

'Nez- Aaaahahah, stop it! Cut it out!' His fingers soon stilled and I peered up at him in the darkness, reaching up to undo his ponytail. 'That was mean.'

'Am I known to be nice?'

'To me you are.'

'I'm not.'

One of my hands slid down to cup his cheek and I gave him a warm smile. 'Yes you are. Stop being stupid.'

He sighed quietly, flopping down beside me and pulling me against his body. His scent wasn't as overwhelming as it had been in days prior since he'd just bathed...still...it was soothing nonetheless. 'You smell good...'

'...why would you comment on something like that?'

I felt my cheeks begin to heat up and I started to curl away from Nezumi. 'I-I'm sorry...I didn't...I didn't think.'

He shook his head, pulling me back, one arm snaking around my waist to keep me close. I felt his nose press into my hair as he began to stroke my back gently. '...you smell pretty good too...'

'Must be the shampoo...'

'No...s'just you.'

I swallowed nervously before pressing myself a little closer, my eyes beginning to flutter shut. 'Feel better?' Nezumi asked.

I nodded.

'Was that a nod or a shake?'

'A nod.' My voice was muffled by his shirt.

'Good...'

'...what about you?'

'Me? Yeah, I'm great. Got my own personal heater.'

I giggled quietly, wrapping one arm around his torso, the other finding Nezumi's free hand, squeezing it tightly.

'Stop being cute,' he muttered.

'...no...you like it.'

'Guilty. Go to sleep already, cute thing.'

'Already halfway there...'

We lay there in silence for a few more minutes. I watched our laced together fingers in the gloom. Nezumi's thumb was stroking my knuckles gently, movements eventually slowing as his breathing began to even out. It wasn't long after that I fell asleep too, my body greatly appreciating a comfortable bed and the other's warm form surrounding me.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this instalment~ I'll try and get the next chapter out as soon as I can.

As always, I love reading your reviews, so please let me know what you think!

x


	8. True Lies, False Truths

Another chapter that took forever to write...sheesh. Still, I think this came out alright. I'm going to make a start on the next chapter as soon as possible as I feel the last couple of chapters will be the hardest to write.  
I know I could've expanded on a few points but I was really pushing myself to finish this one. Not sure if it shows or not...  
Regardless, I hope you enjoy this~

* * *

Whilst cleaning out the back room in the house I came across an interesting book.  
Needless to say this often happened whilst I was supposed to be resting, or working in various parts of the house. Matilda would tell me exactly what needed to be done and ten minutes later I was sat in the corner, my head shoved in a book.  
My bedridden stage had pretty much passed after a week of catching up on sleep and eating proper meals. Even though I had spent the last week and a half on my feet, helping Matilda around the house and occasionally helping Nezumi with sorting out the vegetables, he still insisted that it was best I stay indoors and avoid spending too much time out in the sun. Even when I did go outside, it wasn't long before he was shoving an obnoxiously huge sun hat on my head in order to keep me in the shade.  
He wasn't quite overworking himself. Even Nezumi knew when to stop. Still, it meant we didn't talk all that much. Most of the time he was in the garage or in the garden. He would always come in to help prepare and cook lunch and dinner, then we'd both clear up afterwards. He was out like a light most nights, but occasionally he would still wake up in the middle of the night and change positions, thus waking me up. We'd talk a little. Usually, the topic of conversation was what book I had read during the day. We'd discuss it as much as we could in our sleepy state before dozing off again.

Anyway...this book was quite striking.  
The protective sleeve had apparently been lost, edges fraying somewhat. No words were on the spine, yet on the cover was an image of a bee, printed in gold ink. Some of the more delicate parts of the wings had been rubbed off with time but that was understandable. Books rarely stayed in pristine condition, especially old ones.  
The book itself was printed back in the eighties, so it was a good thirty years old.  
It was the first thing I went to check with every book I picked up. I always found it fascinating how an object so tiny could be two, even three times my own age.  
I ran my fingers gently over the first page.  
"Into The Forest."  
I assumed that was the title of the book.  
The fourth page was an abstract.

_"This book covers my various findings from tribes and clans that have lived across the globe from the beginning of time. Some of them are even with us today._

_I conducted my research betw-"_

I skimmed the rest of it. A lot of it was copyright details and a brief introduction.

The researcher had spent many years studying past tribes and listed each of their customs, analysing every single one in great detail. The earliest listed were cavemen, yet it seemed these historic clans only took up a third of the book. The rest consisted of the researchers first hand analyses of present day ones.  
Many of them were still living in the jungles further south and had developed their own language and alphabet using different phases of the moon, the planets and even the stars.  
It always astounded me how, despite the fact there were thousands of miles between countries, many cultures still developed their own language and even writing. I think the Vikings were the first to start writing, but people in the Orient had their own way of doing it too...fascinating...even without the technology we have, these people living in the trees were able to communicate with each other through their own means.  
One small tribe caught my eye straight away. When the researcher began a new chapter on a particular tribe he had visited, he pinpointed their location on a minimap. What startled me about this particular tribe was that...no...it couldn't be...  
They were...where No.6 was.  
Thinking about it...the book was published a long time ago...perhaps they moved on long before the city was built...  
Knowing that these people lived so close to home made me want to read more.  
Two pages were made up of photographs of large circular arrays of plants, rocks, flower petals and twigs. Each of them were arranged in the most incredible patterns. From a distance, they almost looked like a quilt, spread over the forest floor.  
These came under the category of courtship.

_"A man will choose his suitor by giving her a flower that he feels best describes her and their relationship. Usually the flower is worn in the woman's hair when she accepts his offer. By accepting his offer, the two are, what we would call engaged, yet the term the tribe use is loosely translated to 'tied together.' The man will then spend time away from his partner in order to build a nest for her out of whatever he can find and what he feels will best represent his feelings for her and their relationship as a whole. Usually, other men who had their eye on his partner will destroy his nest and steal parts of it for themselves, much like many birds in the animal kingdom do. Once the nest is complete, the man will bring his partner to view it. If she approves, the two will be wed, or 'rooted.' The ceremony takes place at the foot of the central tree, where the couple can receive the forest God, Elyurias' blessing. The pair will then consummate and spend the rest of their lives together."_

I wasn't too keen on how this writer described the people he studied...it was almost as if they were animals. Potentially, in his eyes, they were...living in the forest...sleeping on the ground...preying on unsuspecting wild animals, maybe even insects...still, it's their lifestyle. He had no right to patronise them in such a way.

I read a little more on the forest's God.

_"Though none have seen Elyurias, she is said to take on the form of a large bee. She will often sing through the minds of those she favours above all others."_

Elyurias must be the bee on the cover, then...  
"When a child turns three, they are taken to Elyurias' tree, where they wait to form a link with her. Usually, purification is necessary before the ceremony, but in recent years the tribe has found that it doesn't make much difference whether a child is purified or not. Any child who makes a link with Elyurias is treated with the utmost respect throughout the village."

What, like royalty or something?

_"There have been several mediums for Elyurias. Any family who can communicate with her is treated as the most important in the village. Currently, a young woman called Enola is the village's medium. Naturally, she receives many requests from various suitors."_

On the left was a photo of Enola. She seemed hesitant. It didn't surprise me, she'd probably never seen a camera before in her life. Her hair was a unique colour...somewhere between grey and blue, flower stems and thin ribbons braided into it. What struck me the most though were her eyes...I'd seen them before...countless times...stormy grey...piercing...simply beautiful.

Before my mind had time to catch up with my body I was on my feet, dashing out of the room and out into the back garden, the book clutched to my chest. I followed the sound of Nezumi humming to himself in the garage, and only came to a stop when I was inches away from him.  
'Look at this!'  
He was startled. Thoroughly confused, he put down the hacksaw he had been using on a plank of wood. 'What?'  
I quickly cracked the book open, flicking to the page. 'Where is it...where...here! Look!' I shoved the book into his hands, quickly pointing to the picture. 'This lady!'  
Nezumi rolled his eyes, apparently deciding to humour me until his jaw slackened. Grey eyes widened for a brief second before he hurried back outside, staring in awe at the page in a much clearer light.  
'...where...where did you find this?' he asked.  
'In the back room while I was cleaning. But seriously, what do you think? She looks-'  
'Just like me.'  
'Yeah! I thought so too! Same hair, same eyes everything!'  
Nezumi glanced over at me, giving me a tired smile. Placing a finger on the page as a marker, he shut it the book, approaching me again and pulling me into a tight embrace.  
'Thank you,' he murmured.  
'For what?'  
He opened the book again, staring down at the picture, unable to hold back a quiet chuckle. 'This...this is my mother.'  
Now it was my turn to look absolutely shocked. 'What?!'  
'Enola. She's my mother...well...she's a lot younger than I remember in this photo.'  
'That's...that's incredible! Of all the people she could be!'  
'I know...do you think Matilda would let me keep this?'  
'Of course she would!'  
Another chuckle. Nezumi's eyes were scanning over the page. He was smiling. A genuine smile. I couldn't believe my eyes either...  
'It's got all our customs too...oh wow, nests! Man, these things were pretty.'  
'They are, aren't they...wait a second.'  
It suddenly hit me.  
'Your said "our" customs.'  
Nezumi nodded, looking at me. 'Yeah...I never told you. I lived in this forest. Part of this tribe, everything.'  
My eyes bugged. 'Really?!'  
'Yep.'  
'...but...it's...it's not there anymore, is it?'  
Nezumi shook his head, down-casting his eyes back to the page. '...it was destroyed to make room for No.6.'  
'...then...the tribe...your family...'  
'Wiped out.'

Nezumi's fingers were lightly touching the page, tips tracing over the photograph of his mother.  
He must've been so young when it happened...his memories of the place couldn't've been that strong either...to think that I had managed to find something that could help him understand his roots...his culture...his _family_...was I bringing up unwanted feelings? Did he _want_ to know about all of this? Would it be the same reading it through some outsider's words? Perhaps he always wondered what it would be like to still be living out there...he'd have his family...he'd be happy...he wouldn't be like this...torn...broken...comple-  
'Sion.'  
'Y-yes?'  
'...Thank you...thank you so much...' Nezumi turned to look at me again. I could tell he was trying to hold back a massive wave of emotions through the huge smile...  
'...y-you don't need to thank me.'

He turned to walk back towards the garage, settling down on a nearby stool, motioning for me to sit beside him. 'Of course I do...this...I never thought something like this...existed...'  
The words coming out of his mouth were beginning to shake. I could hear a bitten back choke.  
At that, I reached up, rubbing his upper arm gently. A small tear managed to escape, sliding down his cheek and onto his thigh. Followed by another. And another.  
I pried the book out from his hands, not wanting it to get wet, and he instantly pulled me close, burying his face into the crook of my neck. His shoulders were shaking.  
The book was carefully placed on my stool and I returned the embrace, keeping him as close as I could. I knew why he had brought us back in here...he didn't want to risk anyone seeing him like this...so vulnerable...so broken...  
I rested my nose in his hair, breathing in his scent whilst gently rubbing his shoulders. 'It's okay...you can let it all out...' I murmured, pressing a gentle kiss against his scalp.

We remained there in each other's arms for a few moments before I felt Nezumi's grip on me slacken and lifted his head up...a look I'd never seen before was across his features...it wasn't of sadness though...nor was it from the overwhelming emotions that were probably crashing down on him...  
He pushed some of my hair behind my ear, giving an almost nervous laugh. 'Sorry...I...I'm really good at forgetting what's important, huh?'  
'...what do you mean?'  
Nezumi shook his head. 'So much has been going on...and...the book just...reminded me what I'd lost...yet...I've still got you...haven't I?'  
I nodded. 'You always will, Nezumi.'  
He chuckled quietly. 'Good...I'm glad...'  
That look was still there...was he...pleading? Not me, surely...why would he need to do something like that. What could he possibl-  
Nezumi's movements were quick. In a split second I figured out what he had been doing...he was weighing up his options...hesitating...analysing...trying to come up with a decision of what would be the best course of action...his fingers tangled into my hair and he tugged me down, our lips pressing together.  
It lasted two seconds before he pulled back, cheeks extremely red. I got the feeling he might blame it on sunburn or something. My cheeks were probably a similar colour...had that really just happened?  
An awkward silence fell between the two of us and Nezumi glanced aside, chewing the inside of his bottom lip. He was thinking again.

'U-um...'  
Great start, Nezumi.  
'...Look, I'm...you know I'm no good with...talking about how I feel...so...um...'  
He shifted uncomfortably, seemingly not liking the way I was staring at him, practically hanging on every single word that came from his lips.  
His voice lowered before he glanced at me again, blushing further. 'I have...a lot of feelings for you...and...I know that...you probably feel the same...so...'  
Giggling, I bent down a little, my head cocking to the side. I couldn't resist teasing him. '...aren't you supposed to give me a flower to illustrate that?'  
The blush deepened and he finally looked at me properly. 'W-what?! I'm not giving you a flower!'  
'Why not? It's awfully romantic!'  
'Well tough, I'm not romantic. Fuck you, Sion. I'm trying to talk to you and you're just making fun of me.'  
I couldn't believe how flustered this was making him. If his face got any redder I could lose him in Matilda's tomato plant. 'So you won't give me a flower?'  
'...would you accept it?' His voice was quiet. He was mumbling.  
'Well that depends on the flower doesn't it?'  
'...you're cruel, Sion.' He got to his feet, giving my hair a quick ruffle before heading out of the garage. 'Go back inside and carry on cleaning. Take the book with you.'  
He was probably right. Maybe I had been cruel enough. I picked up the book, dashing after Nezumi and quickly leant up to peck him on the cheek. 'If it helps, I feel the same...but you already knew that, didn't you?'  
'Y-yeah...' More blushing...wow...  
I grinned up at him before walking towards the back door, the book clutched against my chest. It was my turn to blush, giggling away like an absolute moron.

That warmth that always appeared whenever I was near him was beginning to swell. The same warmth would overcome me every night when he pulled me against him. Whenever his hand would find mine and clutch it tightly. Whenever he'd whisper how nice it felt to hold me close, how happy he was to have me next to him. Whenever he nudged my foot under the table when we were eating dinner. Whenever he looked over at me whilst was working, giving me the biggest smile he could muster.  
I loved him.  
I really and truly loved him...  
I wanted to tell him...I wanted to tell him everything...  
In fact, I very nearly turned on my heels, to run back over to him, but chose not to. Maybe it would be best to just wait and see what his next move was...even if he didn't give me a flower, it wouldn't change anything...

Back inside, the television had been left on. Matilda was nowhere in sight, although I could hear her on the phone from the other room. A few muffled laughs here and there indicated it could well be a call to her daughter...perhaps she was catching up with her...filling her in on how she had taken us in...  
'We will return to scheduled broadcasts after this announcement.'  
More of this again?  
My hand reached to grab the remote, going to switch the television off.

_'The riots in No.6 have not ceased since Tuesday's announcement. It is rumoured that three hundred people have died during these events alone.'_

My thumb was so close to pressing the button...yet I couldn't stop watching.

_'Police across the country have compiled a list of every suspect they believe are involved with the planning and execution of the conspiracy against No.6. If you have seen any of the following people, alert your local authorities immediately. They are all considered to be armed and extremely dangerous.'_

About thirty faces popped up on the screen in a grid. Most of them were male...probably in their early twenties...except for one.  
Nezumi's face was on the screen. He looked tired, worn...a large bruise on his jaw...for some reason his nose looked different...but it was definitely him. I was beginning to get brief flashbacks to four years ago when the announcement about his escape was spread across the city...this announcement even included his VC number...  
Before I even had a chance to switch the television off, the screen went blank in front of me. A lamp that had been on in the corner of the room switched off too. I quickly spun around, trying to figure out exactly what had happened when I saw Nezumi peering through the window, a finger pressed to his lips, a pair of garden shears clutched tightly in his hands beforehe quickly disappeared.  
Matilda quickly hurried in, peering owlishly at the phone, pressing random buttons. '...oh dear, looks like the power's out...'  
'Y-yeah...it made me jump...'  
'I'm sure it'll come back in a few minutes...' She glanced at the book I was still holding. 'Oh? Did you find that?'  
'U-uh..y-yeah...I was wondering if I could keep it. It's really interesting...I mean, as long as you're alright with that.'  
'Oh please, go ahead. I'd rather that book went to someone who would appreciate it rather than it collecting dust on a shelf somewhere.'  
I gave her a bright smile. 'Thank you...I'll go put it in our room then...'

All rooms in the house have electric shutters and I hadn't got around to opening them, meaning I had to stumble about in the dark whilst putting the book away. With the power out, there was no way I could illuminate the room. Instead I just carefully made a space on one of the shelves, moving a couple of teddies aside and placed the book there.  
That would do...  
When I got back into the kitchen, Nezumi was there. 'What happened?' he asked  
'The power's out...this happens every once in a while...'  
'Might be down to a blown fuse...where's your outlet?'  
'Ah, it's just outside the porch. Follow me, I'll show you.'  
Nezumi didn't give me any sign to not follow them so I went along too. Once in the porch, he carefully lifted the cover off the box, tripping a few switches, looking for any sign of light inside the house. '...Okay...maybe not...'  
He started fiddling around with the wires leading out of the box, following them down to where they led into the house. 'Ah...there's our problem...'  
Matilda and I both peered over Nezumi's shoulder. 'Guessing a rat or something thought this was a tasty lunch...'  
'Oh dear...they were complicated enough to get installed in the first place...'  
'We could call a mechanic?' I suggested.  
'The nearest one is several miles away. I believe he's taken time off to visit relatives abroad...'  
'Do you know when he'll be back?'  
'...hard to say...he'd have to come back via the airport at No.6...no one's allowed in or out of the city at the moment...chances are he's already trying to get back.'  
Nezumi got back to his feet, running a hand through his hair. 'Do you have any supplies like masking tape? Wire connectors?'  
'No, sorry.'  
'...Well, tomorrow's Sunday. I'll go out on Monday to grab stuff to fix it up. Reckon we can manage until then?'  
'You'd do that? Oh, thank you, Ventus. Yes, of course. It's not a problem. I have candles and torches we can use in the meantime. I'll go find them.'  
Matilda hurried back inside, leaving Nezumi and I on the porch.

'...that boy's playing with fire...we should never have come here...'  
'...Nezumi...?'  
He glanced at me. A shiver ran down my spine. His eyes were hazy...glazed over...those eyes I always used to distinguish him from everyone else were hidden away...morphed into something almost twisted.  
'How did you hear the television from the garage? And how did you get here so fast to cut the power?'  
A pale hand lifted up to cup my cheek.  
'...I thought you were more intelligent than that, Sion...my ears are much more sensitive than yours...' Fingers traced the shell of my ear, moving a lock of hair back. '...That woman's a threat...if she learns where we come from, it'd jeopardise our safety.'  
I quickly pulled myself back, shaking my head.  
This wasn't right...  
This person wasn't Nezumi...  
Their mannerisms...their speech pattern...it was nothing like him.  
'...Tell me this, Sion...if that woman were to find out the truth...what would you do? Would you let her phone the police and turn him in?'  
_Him_...why are they using the third person? _What_...?  
'Because...I believe...if you feel for him like I know you do...you'd stop her...you'd do everything in your power to keep him safe...wouldn't you?'  
I stared at him, open mouthed, not quite believing what I was hearing. What on earth was going on?!  
Though there was truth in those words...  
'...You're...you're right about that...I would do anything I could to protect him...he's done enough for me...I don't want all that to go to waste...'  
He gave me a slight smile. 'Then...when the time comes...I'll assume you'll know how to approach this...'  
'...what's going on?'  
'The brain is quite an interesting organ...when it deems the exterior world too difficult to cope with...it simply...shuts down.' He clicked his fingers to illustrate. 'You could say I'm like that...when things get too difficult for him or I deem the situation completely out of his control...I take over...You see, I want him to be safe too, Sion...I'll do anything for him...just like that, the two of us are alike.'  
'...who are you?'  
...I'll let him explain for you.'

Nezumi's knees buckled beneath the weight of his body and he crumbled to the floor. In a flash I was by his side, catching him before he hit the ground.  
'Nez-'  
'Ssh...don't shout...'  
'...Are you okay?'  
'..Yeah...fine...just...' He glanced up at me before tearing his gaze away, cursing under his breath. '...didn't want you to see that...'  
'See what? Nezumi, what's going on?'  
He shook his head, carefully getting to his feet with my help. '...Look...I'll explain it to you some other time, alright?'  
'...Explain what?'  
'...sorry?'  
'How much will you explain to me?'  
Nezumi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. 'About what just happened...'  
'Nezumi, this is so important. I need to know what's going on...pronto. Because I don't think I can take any more mysteries or secrets.'  
He didn't reply.  
'Not even half an hour ago you told me how you felt about me...if...if that were true...why haven't you told me anything?'  
'I told you where I came from...'  
'But you're still keeping things from me! Why can't you open up to me!'  
'Sion...please..' He glanced around, sighing quietly. '...Look, let's just get all the candles set up. She can't do it by herself...I'll tell you later.'  
'Tonight.'  
'Yeah, tonight.'  
'Everything?'  
'...we'll see.'  
'Nezumi.'  
'Jeez, you're pushy today. Fine.'  
He opened the front door and quickly headed inside, leaving me standing out there on the porch.

What was it about him? I learn a few things and feel I'm actually getting somewhere and then a whole new tirade of questions just appear out of the blue...I'd taken a step forward and two steps back...  
Swallowing nervously, I headed inside the house, closing the door behind me and began to help with preparations for when it went dark.

* * *

Dundundunnnnnnn

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think in a review~ It'd mean a lot to me!

Until next time~


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